Hazel Close is the Chief Pharmacist at Public Health Scotland, providing strategic, specialist, and professional leadership across all pharmaceutical matters, with a particular focus on pharmaceutical public health. She plays a key role in advancing the safe, effective, and equitable use of medicines, with a strong emphasis on prevention, medicines safety, and the use of data and intelligence to improve population health outcomes. Hazel is passionate about promoting pharmacy’s vital contribution to prevention and its role in improving health outcomes across Scotland.
Hazel brings extensive experience in pharmacy leadership across NHS Scotland. She previously served as Head of Pharmacy for Population Health and Wellbeing in NHS Fife, and most recently as Deputy Director of Pharmacy and Medicines, where she was responsible for the delivery of pharmaceutical care across acute services, community pharmacy, and GP practices within the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership. In these roles, she led work to strengthen pharmacy’s contribution to population health and reduce health inequalities through the safe and effective use of medicines.
Hazel began her career in community pharmacy before moving to NHS 24 as Regional Pharmacy Advisor, where she played a key role in developing unscheduled care service provision within community pharmacy. These innovations continue to support patients in accessing the right care, from the right professional, at the right time.