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With use of the drug ketamine increasing, our understanding about the negative impacts on people’s health is also growing. In this blog, Ruairi O'Brien, Senior Health Improvement Officer, explains why raising awareness of ketamine-related harms matters and how informed conversations can help people access the support they need.

As part of Challenge Poverty Week, Dr Rachel McAdams, Service Manager within Public Health Scotland's Fairer Healthier Economies team, explains how Community Wealth Building can help tackle poverty and reduce health inequalities, and how the new anchors progression framework supports organisations to turn ambition into action.

With the start of the winter approaching, the Viral Respiratory team at Public Health Scotland (PHS) is updating their surveillance of respiratory infections.

New regulations from the Scottish Government restricting the promotion of food and drinks high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) come into force on 1 October 2026. Claire Hislop RNutr (Public Health), Organisational Lead for Food and Physical Activity, explains the changes that people shopping in larger stores should see and why they’re important.

Paul Johnston, Chief Executive at PHS, reflects on what we've learned from our partnership with One Parent Families Scotland, and how supporting lone parents into meaningful employment can benefit both individuals and organisations alike.

The latest figures on drug-use deaths in Scotland are a stark reminder of the harm experienced by individuals, families and communities across the country. In this blog, Dr Tara Shivaji, Consultant in Public Health at Public Health Scotland, reflects on what the latest statistics tell us, the changing nature of drug harms and why preventing them requires action across the whole system.

This Scottish Housing Day, Michael Tornow, Senior Health Improvement Officer at Public Health Scotland, highlights how investing in good housing conditions is essential to preventing ill health, and by doing so, we can save the NHS vital resources.

The Alcohol Consumption and Harms dashboard provides a detailed picture across all alcohol-related harms and the impact that they have on Scotland’s health. In this blog, Craig Collins, Service Manager, Health Harms Intelligence, explores the latest data on partially attributable alcohol admissions and deaths, and explains why understanding these wider harms is important for reducing inequalities and improving health outcomes.

Taking place every year on 28 July, Public Health Scotland supports World Hepatitis Day, which aims to increase awareness of viral hepatitis and the effect it has across the globe and to influence real change. Duncan McCormick, Consultant in Public Health Medicine in our Blood Borne Virus and Sexually Transmitted Infections team, explains the current situation in Scotland.

Arts engagement is not a luxury. It is a lifeline. Health Arts Scotland 2026 takes place this week and, in this blog, Dr Shahnoor Minhas Amin, Public Health Registrar at Public Health Scotland (PHS) explains the powerful link between the arts and health, and why it’s a critical tool for tackling health inequalities.