Philippa Whitford is a breast surgeon and former Scottish National Party politician who represented Central Ayrshire in the House of Commons from May 2015 until standing down at the 2024 general election. Originally from Northern Ireland, she was re-elected to her seat in both 2017 and 2019. During her parliamentary career, Whitford served as the SNP Health spokesperson from 2015 to 2021, establishing herself as a prominent voice on healthcare policy matters. She later took on the role of SNP Spokesperson for Scotland, serving in that position from December 2022 to September 2023.

Throughout her time in Parliament, Whitford drew on her extensive medical background to contribute to debates on health policy and the National Health Service. Her dual expertise as a practicing surgeon and elected representative provided her with a distinctive perspective on healthcare issues facing the United Kingdom. She now writes commentary for Comment Central.