Health in Scotland

Across Scotland, there are significant differences within health outcomes between the most deprived and wealthiest areas of the country. Scotland has a significantly shorter life expectancy amongst the countries of the United Kingdom as well as the rest of Western Europe. The Scottish Government has introduced a number of measures, including the establishment of Public Health Scotland in April 2020 as the Public Health Agency responsible for increasing healthy life expectancy and reduce premature mortality. Public Health Scotland acknowledge that Scotland has a "number of significant public health challenges" including drug related deaths, environmental sustainability and climate change.

Across all OECD countries, Scotland ranks in the bottom 36% in health, whilst it ranks in the top 24% of OECD countries in life satisfaction. Health in Scotland is the responsibility of the Scottish Government, with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care responsible for government policy, NHS Scotland and performance across healthcare. Other significant positions responsible for health across the country include the National Clinical Director of Healthcare Quality and Strategy and the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland.