Professor Jason Leitch will leave his role as National Clinical Director at the end of April, the Scottish Government has announced. 

His decision to “look for new challenges across health and care” comes just weeks after the top official was criticised for private WhatsApp messages uncovered by the UK Covid Inquiry. 

The probe into the government's response to the pandemic found texts where he seemingly advised Humza Yousaf on how to dodge strict government rules on wearing facemasks.

In other messages, he accused a Conservative MSP of being “rude” and "harrumphing like a child" and described a Labour MSP as a "smartarse.”

The WhatsApps were all discovered despite the clinician deleting all of his own messages. 

READ MORE: Jason Leitch: Deleting WhatsApp messages a 'pre-bed ritual'

In a statement released by the government, Professor Leitch said the job had been an “enormous privilege.”

He added: "The Covid pandemic was an unprecedented challenge for all countries and I am proud of my colleagues inside and outside Government for their incredible work.

"It was a privilege to be able to communicate with the public so directly and be part of that co-ordinated response, and I will forever be grateful for the public’s attention and willingness to follow the guidance - it saved lives.

"I have decided to look for new challenges across health and care after a break, and to spend more time with the charities I work with. I wish colleagues well for the future.”

First Minister Humza Yousaf paid tribute to the Dundee dentist.

He said: “Jason Leitch has made a fantastic contribution to the health of the nation, leading work to reduce hospital acquired infections and improve the quality of care in the NHS. The enduring success of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme is testament to his work.

"He played a huge role in helping me and fellow Ministers navigate the Covid pandemic by providing advice to help reach the best decisions, and by communicating so well with the public. I, of course, wish him every success in the future.”

Writing on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, Nicola Sturgeon wished Prof Leitch "all the very best for the future."

She added: "I always valued the advice and support he gave me, first as Health Secretary and then FM - not least during Covid when he was a key part of the @scotgov team and a reassuring presence for many across the country. His contribution to government will be missed."

READ MORE: Labour calls for Jason Leitch to be sacked as Clinical Director

The National Clinical Director has been under pressure to quit since his appearance at the UK Covid inquiry in January where he confirmed that he had not kept “informal communications in relation to the management of the pandemic in Scotland".

Messages eventually uncovered by the probe showed Prof Leitch describing deleting WhatsApps as a "pre-bed ritual” in May 2021. 

However, WhatsApps from Prof Leitch were uncovered on other people's phones, including an old device belonging to Humza Yousaf.

In one message to then health secretary and now First Minister, the clinician claimed “literally no-one” wore a mask at social events, despite the official guidance at the time.

“Have a drink in your hands at ALL times," he said. Then you’re exempt. So if someone comes over and you stand, lift your drink.”

The exchange happened on the same day as the government weighed up the possibility of introducing new restrictions to limit social contact as case numbers had been slowly rising again,

After his evidence at the inquiry, both Labour and the Tories called for him to resign.

Scottish Tory chairman Craig Hoy said: “Jason Leitch’s position became untenable when damning revelations about him were first revealed at the Covid inquiry.

“That exposed him less as an independent civil servant and more as a stooge for Sturgeon, Swinney and the SNP.

“His flippant remarks on WhatsApp message deletion being a pre-bed ritual caused Covid bereaved families great upset.

"They should have been enough for Humza Yousaf to sack him. But, with the First Minister too weak to act, Jason Leitch has belatedly done the right thing by resigning.

“The SNP must guarantee that the next person in this crucial public-facing role fully restores confidence among the public.”

READ MORE: The controversies preceding Jason Leitch's government exit

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: “I thank Jason Leitch for his service as National Clinical Director during some deeply difficult times and I look forward to welcoming the new National Clinical Director to the role in due course.

“Questions still persist over Jason Leitch ’s actions during the Covid-19 pandemic and regarding the ongoing fallout from the Eljamel scandal in NHS Tayside.

“Every effort must be made to ensure that the Scottish public get the answers that they deserve.”

Professor Leitch has worked for the Scottish Government since 2007 and was appointed as National Clinical Director in the Health and Social Care Directorate in January 2015.

He is also a Board member of two large international charities, the Nazareth Trust which runs a hospital and nursing school in Northern Israel and the Indian Rural Evangelical Fellowship which runs an orphanage, college and nursing school in rural south-east India.