Prevention Under Pressure: The state of community-led health in Scotland
/This article was featured in the SCDC Weekly - 2nd September 2026
A new report has highlighted concerning findings from engagement and survey research with community-led health organisations across Scotland.
Published by the Scottish Communities for Health and Wellbeing, The Alliance, and CHEX, the report shows organisations facing unprecedented demand, increasing complexity, and crisis-level need - all made worse by shrinking resources.
High level strategies name community-led services as central to prevention. Yet despite the seemingly-favourable policy environment, the financial backing for prevention has so far been lacking, with organisations delivering key prevention work being defunded or treated as non-essential.
The report also highlights how cross-sector working relationships are deteriorating, with 54% of the 67 groups surveyed reporting worsening relationships with public health partners over the past three years. 69% of groups feel their capacity and resources are misunderstood.
Yet partnership is possible. Most community-led health organisations said they want better relationships and know that with long term sustainable funding and mutual respect, joint working succeeds.
This report is a snapshot of the challenges the sector has experienced over the past three years, with keys questions remaining about what we do now to strengthen relationships and support this vital work.