They are responsible for NHS Scotland, as well as policies on the development and implementation of health and social care.
The Chief Executive of NHS Scotland and Director-General of the Scottish Government's Health and Social Care Directorates is Caroline Lamb.
The activities of these Directorates are under the purview of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care.
The current Directorates are:[1] As well as responsibility for the regional health boards of NHS Scotland, the Directorates also have responsibility for: There are seven chief professional officers:[2] The Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD) was created in 1999 from the former Scottish Office Health Department (SOHD) (previously part of the Scottish Office Home and Health Department).
The separate departments in the Scottish Government were abolished in 2007 and replaced with Directorates.