Minister for Public Health, Women's Health and Sport
# Minister for Public Health, Women's Health and Sport

The Minister for Public Health, Women's Health and Sport is a Junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. The post was first created as Minister for Public Health in May 2007 after the appointment of the Scottish National Party minority administration. It was renamed in February 2009, with further renamings in 2011, 2016 and 2018.

The Minister reports to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, who has overall responsibility for the portfolio, and is a member of cabinet. The current Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing is Mairi Gougeon MSP.

## Overview

The Minister has specific responsibility for:

* COVID-19 testing programme
* Health improvement
* Public health and healthy working lives
* Physical activity, sport, sporting events and events legacy
* Problem alcohol use and recovery
* Care Inspectorate
* Carers
* Child and maternal health (excluding mental health)
* Health protection
* Person-centred care
* Self-directed support
* Sexual health

## List of office holders

Minister for Public Health :

| Name | Name | Entered Office | Left Office | Party | First Minister |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Shona Robison | 17 May 2007 | 10 Feb 2009 | Scottish National Party | Alex Salmond |
| Minister for Public Health and Sport |||||||
| | Shona Robison | 11 Feb 2009 | 20 May 2011 | Scottish National Party | Alex Salmond |
| Minister for Public Health |||||||
| | Michael Matheson | 20 May 2011 | 21 November 2014 | Scottish National Party | Alex Salmond |
| | Maureen Watt | 21 November 2014 | 18 May 2016 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon |
| Minister for Public Health and Sport |||||||
| | Aileen Campbell | 18 May 2016 | 27 June 2018 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon |
| Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing |||||||
| | Joe FitzPatrick | 27 June 2018 | 18 December 2020 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon |
| | Mairi Gougeon | 21 December 2020 | 20 May 2021 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon |
| Minister for Public Health, Women's Health and Sport |||||||
| | Maree Todd | 20 May 2021 | Incumbent | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon |

## History

From 1999 to 2007, public health was the responsibility of the Minister for Health and Community Care and the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care. The Salmond government, elected following the 2007 elections, created the junior post of Minister for Public Health who assisted the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing in the Scottish Government.

In 2009, the post became the Minister for Public Health and Sport after assuming the Sport portfolio. From 2011, the post reverted to the title of Minister for Public Health and sport was once again separated off to a new Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport post. Following the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Nicola Sturgeon recreated the old Minister for Public Health and Sport post.

The Minister does not attend the Scottish Cabinet.

