Professor Jason Leitch will leave his role as the Scottish Government’s national clinical director next month.
The former dentist was a key figure in the Scottish Government’s response to the pandemic, but came under fire following UK Covid-19 Inquiry hearings in January this year.
WhatsApp messages showed he advised then health secretary Humza Yousaf that he could avoid wearing a mask if he had a drink in his hand.
During another exchange on WhatsApp, Prof Leitch wrote: “WhatsApp deletion is a pre-bed ritual.”
Announcing he is stepping down at the end of April, Prof Leitch praised the public’s willingness to comply with Covid legislation, and said he was “proud” of his colleagues.
He will also leave his role at NHS Tayside at the same time, and announced he was looking for other work in healthcare.
Prof Leitch revealed he planned to spend more time working with two large international charities he is a board member of, the Nazareth Trust in Northern Israel and the Indian Rural Evangelical Fellowship in rural south-east India.
Initially joining the Scottish Government in 2007, he worked in the role of national clinical director for nine years.
He said he had “decided to look for new challenges across health and care after a break, and to spend more time with the charities I work with”.
Mr Yousaf – now Scotland’s First Minister – thanked him for his “huge role in helping me and fellow ministers navigate the Covid pandemic by providing advice to help reach the best decisions”.
Arrangements for the post will be set out in due course.
Prof Leitch said: “It has been an enormous privilege to carry out this role and work closely with colleagues across the health and care sector in service of the patients, their families and carers.
“The NHS and social care system does remarkable work every day, and I am immensely proud of the teams I have had the privilege of being part of.
“The ongoing success of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme is globally recognised and has significantly improved the safety and reliability of care in many ways. 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.”
Mr Yousaf 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.”