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Welcome to NHS Health Scotland’s blog. Blog posts are written by our staff, partners and stakeholders. Opinions expressed are those of contributors and do not necessarily reflect the organisation’s views.


Showing 61 results


  • Public Health Scotland Board members appointed

    • 01 Apr 2020
    • Reform programme
    • Public Health Reform

    The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing Joe FitzPatrick has announced the members appointed to Public Health Scotland’s Board.


  • Launch of Public Health Scotland

    • 31 Mar 2020
    • Reform programme
    • Public Health Reform

    Public Health Scotland launched on 1 April, 2020.


  • A future where we all live longer, healthier lives

    • 04 Mar 2020
    • Reform programme
    • Gerry McCartney

    Gerry McCartney, Head of the Scottish Public Observatory, believes that in order to combat the negative effects austerity had on life expectancy, a wellness economy and whole system working have to play essential roles….


  • Getting to grips with systems thinking for public health

    • 24 Feb 2020
    • Reform programme
    • Emma Little

    With organisations across Scotland being encouraged to use a whole system approach (WSA) to deliver the public health priorities, partners are now taking a fresh look at tackling local issues. Emma Little from NHS Health Scotland gives her take on one of them, 'systems thinking'.


  • Human Rights and the public sector

    • 14 Feb 2020
    • Reform programme
    • Cath Denholm

    Cath Denholm Director of Strategy, NHS Health Scotland and Interim Head of Strategy, Governance and Performance, Public Health Scotland looks at some of the challenges and opportunities ahead for human rights and the public sector


  • Connecting communities through Glasgow's Clyde Gateway

    • 13 Feb 2020
    • Reform programme
    • Campbell Hart

    The importance of getting plans right to enable communities to thrive is an issue being considered across Scotland. Recognised through the public health priorities, the role of 'place' has arguably never been so important. In Glasgow's east end, Clyde Gateway, is currently halfway through a 20 year programme, which has a vision to address long-standing inequalities.

  • As partners consider how their collective response can help to deliver the shared public health priorities, organisations are already helping to deliver better results. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is just one organisation that’s actively contributing to a Scotland where everybody thrives.


  • The potential of the private sector to help fight homelessness

    • 29 Jan 2020
    • Reform programme
    • Lorna Ferguson

    Issues of homelessness are on the increase and with existing resources struggling to cope, new ways of supporting people are starting to emerge. Nearly thirty-thousand people are homeless or threatened with homelessness according to recent Scottish Government figures, while there’s been a 3% increase of homeless applications since 2017/18.


  • Using lived experience to help combat addiction in Renfrewshire

    • 22 Jan 2020
    • Reform programme
    • Campbell Hart

    Public Health Priority 4: The Renfrewshire Community Planning Partnership’s Alcohol and Drugs Commission is exploring new ways of tackling addiction by hearing first-hand from people with lived experience of using alcohol and drugs, and their family members, with a particular focus on early intervention and prevention.

  • With the wellbeing agenda now firmly on the map, the Scottish Government and partners, are exploring alternative ways to GDP to measure national performance. Dr Karen Lorimer, Reader in Social Science and Health at Glasgow Caledonian University, looks at the potential role of the capability approach for public health…