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Sarra Naylor, Information Manager & National Drug-related Death Data Coordinator at Public Health Scotland (PHS), outlines how a new data-processing system, Databelt, is transforming the way suspected drug-related deaths (sDRDs) are identified, shared and used to support national and local responses. It explains why this development matters, how the system works, and what it means for improving prevention, service coordination and support for those affected by drug harms.

The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended changes to the childhood vaccination schedule based on latest scientific evidence to support high levels of protection for children. Consultant in Public Health from our Vaccination and Immunisation Division, Dr Daniel Chandler, outlines the changes to the schedule in our latest blog.

In our latest blog, Dr Rishma Maini, Consultant in Public Health and Co-lead of the Clinical Health Intelligence and Research Division at PHS, reflects on the year ahead as a chance to renew focus on the public health challenges affecting people across Scotland. Dr Maini also introduces our forthcoming ten-year strategy, designed to tackle these issues and drive meaningful change.

In our latest blog, Paul Johnston, PHS Chief Executive, reflects on the recent trends in Scotland's life expectancy data, and the work taking place through the Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland (CHES) to increase life expectancy and reduce health inequalities.

With cases of Tuberculosis (TB) increasing in Scotland, Hazel Henderson, Consultant in Public Health and Lead of the Respiratory Bacterial Pathogens team at PHS, has written in our latest blog about the importance of surveillance in understanding and beating this persistent, curable and preventable disease.

Public Health Scotland (PHS), in collaboration with the Universities of Glasgow, Strathclyde, Edinburgh and Oxford, have published a groundbreaking study in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, showing that infants under three months of age, whose mothers received the RSV vaccination during pregnancy, had around 80% reduced risk of hospitalisation due to an RSV infection compared to infants whose mothers were unvaccinated.

Flu season has arrived about a month earlier than usual in Scotland, and cases are rising rapidly. Early data across the UK suggest that a new “drifted” type of flu virus may be circulating this winter.

Viruses change over time and that means our public health response does too, which includes our vaccination programmes. Consultant in Public Health from our Vaccination and Immunisation Division Dr Daniel Chandler outlines changes to this year’s COVID-19 vaccination programme in our latest blog.

As a data and intelligence led organisation, Public Health Scotland (PHS) is committed to providing timely, relevant, and high-quality data to support public understanding of NHS performance. Today, our Director of Data and Digital Innovation and Head of Profession for Statistics, Scott Heald, talks through a major development in how we report waiting times for NHS Scotland.