Dr Gregor Smith: Who is Scotland's new interim Chief Medical Officer?

Dr Gregor Smith, a GP and former medical director for primary care in NHS Lanarkshire, has stepped up to become Scotland’s new chief medical officer for the interim period after the resignation of former boss Dr Catherine Calderwood.

The role will see him as the top adviser to Scottish ministers on a wide range of issues to “protect, sustain and enhance the health of the population and foster professionalism and excellence in medical practice”.

He was appointed deputy chief medical officer for Scotland in October 2015, at the same time as Dr Calderwood took over in the top job with a salary at the time of around £125,000 a year.

Prior to this he had combined roles as a senior medical officer in the Scottish Government and medical director for primary care in NHS Lanarkshire, where he spent most of his clinical career as a GP after graduating from the University of Glasgow in 1994,

Dr Gregor Smith has been appointed Scotland's interim chief medical officer following the resignation of Dr Catherine Calderwood who had led the country's strategy on tackling the coronavirus pandemic.

During his work as a medical adviser for the Scottish Government he contributed to the development of a new quality framework for general practice in Scotland.

He is an honorary clinical associate professor at the University of Glasgow and fellow of both the Scottish Patient Safety Programme and Salzburg Global.

As a keen runner and cyclist, he is a strong believer that getting outside in nature can help improve people’s physical, mental and social health.

He is an advocate of person-centred approaches to care and works with a number of organisations outside healthcare - including Scottish Natural Heritage and the Forestry Commission to promote exercise in green spaces and raise awareness of the health benefits of spending time outdoors.

He is also committed to widening access to medical careers to people from all backgrounds.