Together we can: Scotland’s shared endeavour

In this blog, Michael Kellet, Director of Strategy, Governance and Performance at Public Health Scotland (PHS), reflects on how our new 10-year strategy was developed with and for the people of Scotland - drawing on the perspectives, priorities, and evidence gathered from those who know our communities best.

Our new long-term strategy, "Together we can," sets out a clear aim to improve the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s people. It’s bold and ambitious yet grounded in solid evidence. It sets out a realistic approach to increase life expectancy and reduce inequalities.

The Scottish Government’s Population Health Framework (PHF), published last year, marked a crucial shift in how Scotland aims to improve population health and focus on prevention.

“Together we can” outlines how Public Health Scotland will turn the PHF into action, and how working with our partners we will bring to life our shared ambition of a Scotland where everybody thrives.

Our strategy is shaped by the insights and priorities of the people of Scotland we serve. Its development has involved hundreds of organisations and individuals: helping us be clear what is most important for Scotland’s health, and what we need to do differently make a difference.

Our approach is informed by the best available evidence and what the people of Scotland want.

The case for change

There is a wealth of evidence on public attitudes to change and support for action to improve population health and wellbeing.

The way we think about health is changing.  We now have strong support for bold action to make healthy choices easier, more affordable, and more accessible for everyone. Evidence shows:

• Public support for incentivising businesses to offer healthier options, with 85% of survey respondents thinking that industry should have a responsibility for the harm they cause through the products they produce.
• Public support for measures that restrict marketing and reduce availability of unhealthy commodities.
• Strong support for government action to reduce health inequalities including action to tackle income inequality and wider deprivation.

The ambitions of our strategy reflect the public’s appetite for change, the best available evidence on what works and importantly they focus on what is achievable.

The better we understand what the public supports—and what they don’t—the better we can make the case for change and work together to shape Scotland’s future.

Leading through collaboration

Scotland’s people are rightly at the heart of our ambitious strategy. “Together we can” is clear that delivering our ambition depends on how we work with the public and our partners.

Public support for change aligns strongly with our partners’ commitment to improving population health, with Public Health Scotland providing national leadership and support to drive the systemic change required.

Our partners identified areas where we can provide collaborative leadership to drive systemic change. This includes supporting partners to:

• shift investment and resources to address the root causes of ill health such as poverty, housing, and employment
• share evidence and insights that support communities to deliver sustainable solutions for health and wellbeing

Delivering our shared endeavour

Our strategy is therefore a call to action, a focus not only for Public Health Scotland but for our partners, communities, and wider system. We all have a role, and we ask you to join us to deliver on our ambitious vision.

Together we can enable change, nationally and locally, and transform the health of the nation.

Read our strategy and consider how you can contribute to meeting Scotland health challenge.

Read The Scottish Government’s Population Health Framework

Find out more about the Framework UK research

Find out more about the report from the Institute for IPPR and Public First

Read about Commercial Determinants of Health and Public Attitudes: A Deliberative Research Approach

Read about Public perceptions of health and social care (November – December 2021)