The Advisory Group supports the Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland in championing the voices of patients and families and strengthening the safety of healthcare across Scotland. Bringing together expertise from patient advocacy, clinical practice, academia, regulation, and lived experience, the group provides independent insight and constructive challenge to help shape the Commissioner’s priorities and approach.
Working within the framework established by the Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Act 2023, the Advisory Group ensures that the Commissioner’s work is informed by diverse perspectives and grounded in real‑world experience. Members contribute specialist knowledge, highlight emerging safety concerns, and help the Commissioner understand how systems, services, and policies affect people receiving care.
The group plays a vital role in supporting a proactive, patient‑centred approach to improving safety across Scotland’s healthcare system.
Please note there are outstanding descriptions and invitation for board members which will be uploaded in due course.
Professor Jason Leitch CBE, BDS, DDS, MPH, FRCS
Jason is an internationally recognised expert in healthcare quality, systems improvement, and crisis communications. He is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and has held a number of senior leadership roles within the Scottish Government.
From January 2015 to May 2024, he served as National Clinical Director, following earlier roles as National Clinical Lead for Safety and subsequently for Quality. He played a central role in driving improvements in patient safety, quality of care, and health system reform.
Jason was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours and, in 2022, was elected to the US National Academy of Medicine in recognition of his international contribution to healthcare improvement.
He holds academic appointments as an Honorary Professor at the University of Dundee and a Visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde.
Originally qualifying as a dentist in 1991, Jason went on to become a clinical academic and Consultant Oral Surgeon in Glasgow. He holds a doctorate from the University of Glasgow, a Master of Public Health from Harvard University, and is a Fellow of all three UK Surgical Royal Colleges.
Laura Jones
Laura has over 15 years’ experience of working within the third sector, building a wealth of expertise within health and social care policy, research and project management. As NHS Engagement Manager at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland, Laura works across the eye care support pathway to influence decision makers within public health, eye health and the wider health sector.
Her previous roles include project coordinator for the award-winning My Home Life Cymru programme at Age Cymru, and policy and public affairs at the British Heart Foundation Cymru. Laura is also the Co-Chair of the Voluntary Health Scotland Health Policy Officer Network and is a Trustee for the PANDAS Foundation UK (perinatal mental health charity).
Dr Margaret McCartney MBChB, MRCGP, PhD, FRSE
Margaret is a general practitioner (GP), senior lecturer at the University of St Andrews, and Director of the Centre for Evidence and Values in Healthcare. She is a prominent public voice on evidence-based medicine, ethics, and patient care, and has worked in NHS primary care for many years. She is widely recognised for her advocacy of rational, person-centred healthcare, and for challenging overdiagnosis, overtreatment, and the misuse of medical evidence.
Margaret is a regular commentator and broadcaster, contributing to platforms such as BBC Radio 4, where she presents and reports on health and science issues. She is also a published author, known for books including The Patient Paradox, which explores the complexities of modern healthcare and the importance of shared decision-making.
Tom Steele
Tom Steele brings extensive leadership, technology, and corporate governance experience gained across both the public and private sectors. He has served as Chair of the Scottish Ambulance Service since 2018 and is Co-Chair of the NHS Scotland Innovation Design Authority, helping to drive innovation and transformation across Scotland’s healthcare system.
Prior to this, Tom was a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at NHS Lanarkshire. His executive career spans more than two decades in the technology industry, including management consulting with KPMG and senior leadership roles with Fujitsu, where he led large-scale business and digital transformation initiatives.
With a strong track record of strategic leadership, governance, and organisational change, Tom brings valuable insight and expertise to advisory boards, supporting organisations in navigating complexity, driving innovation, and delivering sustainable growth.
Professor Jason Leitch CBE, BDS, DDS, MPH, FRCS
Jason is an internationally recognised expert in healthcare quality, systems improvement, and crisis communications. He is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and has held a number of senior leadership roles within the Scottish Government.
From January 2015 to May 2024, he served as National Clinical Director, following earlier roles as National Clinical Lead for Safety and subsequently for Quality. He played a central role in driving improvements in patient safety, quality of care, and health system reform.
Jason was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours and, in 2022, was elected to the US National Academy of Medicine in recognition of his international contribution to healthcare improvement.
He holds academic appointments as an Honorary Professor at the University of Dundee and a Visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde.
Originally qualifying as a dentist in 1991, Jason went on to become a clinical academic and Consultant Oral Surgeon in Glasgow. He holds a doctorate from the University of Glasgow, a Master of Public Health from Harvard University, and is a Fellow of all three UK Surgical Royal Colleges.
Laura Jones
Laura has over 15 years’ experience of working within the third sector, building a wealth of expertise within health and social care policy, research and project management. As NHS Engagement Manager at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland, Laura works across the eye care support pathway to influence decision makers within public health, eye health and the wider health sector.
Her previous roles include project coordinator for the award-winning My Home Life Cymru programme at Age Cymru, and policy and public affairs at the British Heart Foundation Cymru. Laura is also the Co-Chair of the Voluntary Health Scotland Health Policy Officer Network and is a Trustee for the PANDAS Foundation UK (perinatal mental health charity).
Dr Margaret McCartney MBChB, MRCGP, PhD, FRSE
Margaret is a general practitioner (GP), senior lecturer at the University of St Andrews, and Director of the Centre for Evidence and Values in Healthcare. She is a prominent public voice on evidence-based medicine, ethics, and patient care, and has worked in NHS primary care for many years. She is widely recognised for her advocacy of rational, person-centred healthcare, and for challenging overdiagnosis, overtreatment, and the misuse of medical evidence.
Margaret is a regular commentator and broadcaster, contributing to platforms such as BBC Radio 4, where she presents and reports on health and science issues. She is also a published author, known for books including The Patient Paradox, which explores the complexities of modern healthcare and the importance of shared decision-making.
Tom Steele
Tom Steele brings extensive leadership, technology, and corporate governance experience gained across both the public and private sectors. He has served as Chair of the Scottish Ambulance Service since 2018 and is Co-Chair of the NHS Scotland Innovation Design Authority, helping to drive innovation and transformation across Scotland’s healthcare system.
Prior to this, Tom was a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at NHS Lanarkshire. His executive career spans more than two decades in the technology industry, including management consulting with KPMG and senior leadership roles with Fujitsu, where he led large-scale business and digital transformation initiatives.
With a strong track record of strategic leadership, governance, and organisational change, Tom brings valuable insight and expertise to advisory boards, supporting organisations in navigating complexity, driving innovation, and delivering sustainable growth.
The Terms of Reference set out the purpose, scope, membership, and ways of working of the Advisory Group. They describe how the group supports the Commissioner, how meetings are conducted, and the principles that guide its work.
The Advisory Group meeting minutes give an accessible summary of discussions informing the work of the Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland. They outline key issues, recommendations, and agreed actions, offering insight into how patient safety priorities are shaped and progressed.