cabinet secretary for nhs recovery, health and social care cabinet secretary for nhs recovery, health and social care the cabinet secretary for nhs recovery, health and social care (scottish gaelic: rùnaire a’ chaibineit airson slànachadh sns, slàinte agus cùram sòisealta), commonly referred to as the health secretary (scottish gaelic: rùnaire na slàinte), is a cabinet position in the scottish government. the cabinet secretary is responsible for the health and social care directorates and nhs scotland. cabinet secretary for nhs recovery, health and social carescottish gaelic: rùnaire a’ chaibineit airson slànachadh sns, slàinte agus cùram sòisealtaincumbentmichael mathesonsince 29 march 2023health and social care directoratesnhs scotlandscottish governmentscottish cabinetstylecabinet secretary (formal) health secretary (informal)member ofscottish parliamentscottish cabinetreports tothe first minister of scotland and the scottish parliamentseatedinburghappointerfirst ministerterm lengthnone the cabinet secretary is appointed by the first minister following a resignation or cabinet reshuffle.inaugural holdersusan deacon minister for health and community careformationmay 1999deputymaree todd (minister for public health, women's health and sport) kevin stewart (minister for mental wellbeing and social care)salary£118,511 per annum (2023)(including £67,662 msp salary)websitewww.gov.scot the cabinet secretary is assisted by the minister for public health, women's health and sport, maree todd and minister for mental wellbeing and social care, kevin stewart. the current cabinet secretary is michael matheson. this article is part of a series within thepolitics of the united kingdom on thepolitics of scotland the crown the monarch charles iii heir apparent william, duke of rothesay prerogative royal family succession privy council union of the crowns balmoral castle holyrood palace scottish republicanism executive scottish government yousaf government first minister the rt hon humza yousaf msp deputy first minister shona robison msp cabinet secretaries junior ministers directorates scottish budget taxation executive agencies public bodies bute house st andrew's house legislature scottish parliament sixth session presiding officer alison johnstone msp primary legislation statutory instrument committees first minister's questions scotland act 1998 (2012 act · 2016 act) eu continuity act 2020 law and justice justice secretary keith brown msp lord advocate dorothy bain kc lord president the rt hon lord carloway kc pc scots law udal law courts judiciary scottish courts and tribunals service crown office and procurator fiscal service police scotland scottish prison service advocate general solicitor general elections and referendumsscottish parliament elections 1999 · 2003 · 2007 · 2011 · 2016 · 2021 · next united kingdom parliament elections 1801 co-option 1802 1806 1807 1812 1818 1820 1826 1830 1831 1832 1835 1837 1841 1847 1852 1857 1859 1865 1868 1874 1880 1885 1886 1892 1895 1900 1906 1910 (jan) 1910 (dec) 1918 1922 1923 1924 1929 1931 1935 1945 1950 1951 1955 1959 1964 1966 1970 1974 (feb) 1974 (oct) 1979 1983 1987 1992 1997 2001 2005 2010 2015 2017 2019 european parliament elections 1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019 local elections 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1977 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1995 1999 2003 2007 2012 2017 2022 referendums 1975 1979 1994 1997 2005 2011 2014 2016 scottish parliament constituencies scottish parliament electoral regions scottish westminster constituencies proposed second independence referendum electoral system political parties scotland and the united kingdom united kingdom government sunak ministry prime minister the rt hon rishi sunak mp secretary of state for scotland the rt hon alister jack mp scottish devolution treaty of union house of commons house of lords scotland office scottish affairs committee scottish grand committee interministerial standing committee barnett formula reserved matters sewel motion administration council areas history sheriffdoms community councils lieutenancy areas convention of scottish local authorities category · scotland portal other countries history the position was created in 1999 as the minister for health and community care, with the advent of devolution and the institution of the scottish parliament, taking over some of the roles and functions of the former scottish office that existed prior to 1999. after the 2007 election the ministerial position was renamed to the cabinet secretary for health and wellbeing. after the 2011 election the full ministerial title was cabinet secretary for health, wellbeing and cities strategy with the portfolio being expanded to include cities strategy which was part of the snp manifesto to have a dedicated "minister for cities"; at the same time the responsibility for housing was removed and transferred to the new cabinet secretary for infrastructure and capital investment. responsibilities for the cities strategy and the delivery of the 2014 commonwealth games in glasgow were later transferred to other members of the cabinet. after the 2016 election, the name of the post was changed to simply cabinet secretary for health and sport. in the 2021 cabinet reshuffle, the post was retitled to cabinet secretary for health and social care. overview responsibilities the responsibilities of the cabinet secretary for health and social care include: nhs scotland and its performance, staff and pay health care and social integration patient services and patient safety primary care allied healthcare services carers, adult care and support child and maternal health medical records, health improvement and protection public bodies the following public bodies report to the cabinet secretary for health and social care: nhs scotland care inspectorate mental welfare commission for scotland scottish social services council sportscotland list of office holders minister for health and community care name portrait entered office left office party first minister susan deacon: 2–4 19 may 1999 28 november 2001 labour party donald dewar malcolm chisholm: 5–7 : 2–4 28 november 2001 6 october 2004 labour party henry mcleish jack mcconnell andy kerr: 3–8 6 october 2004 17 may 2007 labour party jack mcconnell cabinet secretary for health and wellbeing nicola sturgeon 17 may 2007 19 may 2011 scottish national party alex salmond cabinet secretary for health, wellbeing and cities strategy nicola sturgeon 19 may 2011 5 september 2012 scottish national party alex salmond cabinet secretary for health and wellbeing alex neil 5 september 2012 21 november 2014 scottish national party alex salmond cabinet secretary for health, wellbeing and sport shona robison 21 november 2014 18 may 2016 scottish national party nicola sturgeon cabinet secretary for health and sport shona robison 18 may 2016 26 june 2018 scottish national party nicola sturgeon jeane freeman 26 june 2018 19 may 2021 scottish national party nicola sturgeon cabinet secretary for health and social care humza yousaf 20 may 2021 28 march 2023 scottish national party nicola sturgeon cabinet secretary for nhs recovery, health and social care michael matheson 29 march 2023 incumbent scottish national party humza yousaf