MSPs Maree Todd and Jenni Minto will support Scotland’s newly appointed Cabinet Secretary Michael Matheson across his health and social care portfolio. Following the First Minister’s cabinet appointments, here is a look at his full ministerial team across the health, social care and mental wellbeing portfolios.

With news that former Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, Michael Matheson will be the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, the new First Minister has now unveiled his full ministerial team.

Maree Todd will work under Mr Matheson as Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport.

The MSP for Caithness, Sunderland and Ross oversaw the Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport portfolio since 2021, which will now be moved to the charge of Jenni Minto MSP.

Meanwhile, Elena Whitham – previous Community Safety Minister – has been appointed to the new ministerial position of Minister for Drug and Alcohol Policy.

New Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary Shona Robinson will work with Mr Matheson on junior doctors pay negotiations as BMA Scotland’s chair calls for “urgent action”.

Maree Todd

Before her appointment to government in 2021, Ms Todd was the MSP for the Highlands and Islands region from 2016 to 2021, in the first 17 months of which she was a member of the Health and Sport Committee.

Most recently, Ms Todd addressed in Scottish parliament regarding future pandemic preparedness, long COVID and tackling poverty and health inequalities.

She discussed retaining necessary pharmaceuticals to support future pandemic responses, but concerns have previously been raised about an absence of social care in the Standing Committee for Pandemic Preparedness.

Now, such aspects of social care provision and service support will be under the responsibilities of Maree Todd in her new ministerial role – including the National Care Service.

During the leadership election, MSPs confirmed a pause to the progress of the NCS Bill – previously the responsibility of Kevin Stewart, Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care. He has now been reappointed as the Minister for Transport.

Prior to her election, Ms Todd spent 20 years working in healthcare, most of which as a mental health pharmacist in Inverness.

Jenni Minto

An MSP for Argyll and Bute, Ms Minto previously served as a member of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee and the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee.

Ms Minto has also been part of 15 cross-party groups, including the cross-party group on Heart and Circulatory Diseases.

Earlier this month, she submitted a question on how the government’s COVID Recovery Strategy supports third sector organisations in rural and island communities to support good health for people, including those with long COVID.

Elena Whitham

One of Scotland’s longest standing public health concerns is the drugs crisis, with the Health Foundation reporting widening inequalities in drug-related deaths with level of deprivation.

Previous Minister for Drugs Policy, Angela Constance will be new Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs – which may retain some work on the drugs deaths crisis as it relates to policing, prison and justice reform.

Since 2021, Ms Constance has worked on Scotland’s National Mission to reduce drug deaths, including delivering £14m more residential rehabilitation funding earlier this month.

Now, Elena Whitham – previous Community Safety Minister – has been appointed to the new ministerial position of Minister for Drug and Alcohol Policy.

She is the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley MSP brings her experience as  Convener of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee from January to November last year.

Alcohol being given explicit government oversight coincides with charities’ calls for alcohol harm to be given as much focus as drug deaths, following 1,245 alcohol-related deaths in 2021 – the highest recorded level since 2008.

Following the latest Scottish Health Survey analysis, Alcohol Focus chief executive Alison Douglas said Scotland must work to prevent avoidable deaths:

“The Scottish government has rightly recognised alcohol harm as a public health emergency alongside drugs, but we have not yet seen an emergency response on the same scale; they must act now.”

Other portfolios

Shirley-Anne Somerville will be Social Justice Secretary, having served as Social Security Secretary under Nicola Sturgeon.

She will oversee welfare and social security alongside homelessness, poverty action and tackling inequalities – which will intersect with addressing specific health inequalities.

Ms Somerville will be supported by new Equalities, Migration and Refugees Minister, Emma Roddick and Housing Minister, Paul McLennan.

Ben Macpherson, who served as Social Security Minister supporting the roll out and delivery of support via Social Security Scotland, has now declined a new position, but continues as MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith.

Natalie Don will now be the the Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise. Her responsibilities include delivering the Keeping the Promise implementation plan which commits to supporting care experienced children, young people and their families.

All ministerial appointments will be approved in parliament today, with more details of responsibilities of each due in the coming weeks.

Read more: Auditor General: Difficult choices for Scotland’s NHS; Public health concerns voiced for Ayrshire’s children; Mr Yousaf: “Scotland is a great place to work”; Scotland prioritises neuro-inclusion, says government

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