How do we put the ‘hard-to-do’ parts of preventative policy into action?
/This article was featured in the SCDC Weekly - 14th January 2026
Late last year a group of organisations came together to issue a joint statement on the role prevention plays in tackling Scotland’s growing health inequalities crisis.
This statement explored how preventative approaches involve identifying and tackling root causes before negative outcomes occur - and the challenges and opportunities we face shifting to this way of working in Scotland.
Now, a new article focuses on the importance co-production, long-term investment and transparency play as part of a preventative approach, all crucial features allowing this way of working to make a real difference to people’s lives.
The impact of yesterday’s Scottish budget is still to be seen, but ahead of elections in May, it is clear that the pace of change needs to increase. Meanwhile, the real-world impact of Scotland’s health inequalities crisis becomes increasingly apparent across our communities.
Through collaboration, and with a shared vision, solving the 'implementation gap' between policy and practice is possible. To rise to this challenge, we need to move urgently and consistently - together - so that prevention becomes not just a policy ambition, but a policy success.
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