Health Improvement
Scottish councils are in a unique position to significantly contribute to the reduction of health inequalities by improving the life circumstances of the communities they serve, to enable the healthier choice to be the easier choice. (See “Equally Well” (Scottish Government and COSLA 2008).)
Councils and their partners also have a big role in the wider health improvement effort across their population, as well as a role in the protection and enhancement of their employees health.
NHS Health Scotland Local Government Programme
NHS Health Scotland works at national level to support organisations, policy-makers, communities and individuals to take action to improve health and reduce health inequalities across Scotland. Our strategic objectives are to:
- advance the understanding of Scotland's health and how to improve it
- provide timely evidence-based inputs into health improvement policy and planning
- increase competence and capacity to deliver on health improvement programmes
- improve the quality of strategies to disseminate evidence, learning and good practice
NHS Health Scotland has created a Local Government Programme. The Programme is instrumental in further developing relationships and health improvement activity with COSLA and other national local government organisations and agencies, and our 32 councils and Community Planning Partnerships.
Some of the NHS Health Scotland activities are as follows:
Elected members are a key group whose decision making and role can have significant impacts on health and well being in communities. Resources for elected members have been developed and evaluated:
Health Improvement Tools to support the SOA process and outcome focused planning
NHS Health Scotland has been developing a set of tools that are evidence based and linked to logic modelling processes to support partnerships to plan strategically for the SOA as well as the “next level” down. The aim is to enhance the penetration of the outcome focused cultural changes for outcomes focused planning for communities and understanding the impact of actions.
Approaches to support the implementation of “Equally Well”
Scotland’s Health at Work (Healthy Working Lives)
The NHS Health Scotland Centre for Healthy Working Lives is tasked with helping employers, employees and all our partner agencies come together to create a much healthier and more motivated workforce.
To do this, we offer free, confidential Workplace Visits, practical information and advice, and a structured Award Programme.
Something missing from this page? If you know of any useful websites or resources that we haven't featured, let us know at listen@improvementservice.org.uk
