Professor Jason Leitch has today announced he will leave his role as National Clinical Director after over a decade in post.

Professor Leitch is set to leave his government position and role at NHS Tayside at the end of April.

A new National Clinical Director has yet to be announced, with the government saying that arrangements will be made “in due course”.

Working for the Scottish government since 2007 – and appointed to National Clinical Director in January 2015 – Professor Leitch said it has been a privilege:

“It has been an enormous privilege to carry out this role and work closely with colleagues across the health and care sector in service of the patients, their families and carers.

“The NHS and social care system does remarkable work every day, and I am immensely proud of the teams I have had the privilege of being part of. The ongoing success of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme is globally recognised and has significantly improved the safety and reliability of care in many ways.

“The COVID pandemic was an unprecedented challenge for all countries and I am proud of my colleagues inside and outside government for their incredible work.

“It was a privilege to be able to communicate with the public so directly and be part of that co-ordinated response, and I will forever be grateful for the public’s attention and willingness to follow the guidance - it saved lives.”

The news comes just a month after Michael Matheson resigned and Scotland’s new Cabinet Secretary for Health, Social Care and NHS Recovery, Neil Gray was appointed.

Mr Gray has already responded, writing that he is ‘very sad’ to see Professor Leitch leave, adding:

‘He has contributed an immense amount to our health service – most recognisably through COVID, but also to patient safety not just in Scotland but for England too.’

The also announcement follows criticism around Professor Leitch’s pandemic conduct and concerns over his potential role in the review of a disgraced NHS Tayside neurosurgeon.

First Minister Humza Yousaf, who also worked with Professor Leitch previously as Health and Care Secretary, said:

“Jason Leitch has made a fantastic contribution to the health of the nation, leading work to reduce hospital acquired infections and improve the quality of care in the NHS. The enduring success of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme is testament to his work.

“He played a huge role in helping me and fellow Ministers navigate the COVID pandemic by providing advice to help reach the best decisions, and by communicating so well with the public. I of course wish him every success in the future.”

The government added that his 13-year secondment to support the government has not incurred an extra salary or pension, and Professor Leitch will not receive any additional remuneration upon leaving.

While the next National Clinical Director has not yet been appointed, Professor Leitch said he looks forward to spending more time on charity work:

“I have decided to look for new challenges across health and care after a break, and to spend more time with the charities I work with. I wish colleagues well for the future.”

Read more: ‘Bleak picture': health leaders react to NHS review; Scotland's health and social care secretary resigns; Vision for NHS reform in coming weeks; Watchdog: ‘No overall vision' for NHS; Who is Scotland's new health and care secretary?

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