The Scottish Government’s aim to halve childhood obesity by 2030 and significantly reduce health inequalities will require the whole system to work collaboratively, bringing together local and national decision-makers. Collective action is required on the many factors that can impact people's health and wellbeing.
The project followed activity in seven local areas that pioneered a Whole Systems Approach (WSA), following Public Health England's (PHE) guide for implementing a WSA, and drawing on nine core characteristics of a WSA developed by Public Health Reform. The PHE guide sets out a process involving WSA workshops followed by the development of an action plan and its implementation by the local system network.
Project delivery coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, and the methodology was adjusted to follow how a WSA was progressed in the localities at this time. A mixed methodology involved: desk review; observation of the WSA workshops (both live or recorded); interviewing participating stakeholders; and interviews with the national partners.
The final evaluation report and case studies were published by Public Health Scotland.
The research recommendations provided some short-term priorities for the future direction of the WSA work. This included a report being published to support the work of local authorities and health boards across Scotland to take forward whole systems approaches to diet and healthy weight by recommending seven evidence-based measures which can be utilised as part of a place-based approach to addressing diet and healthy weight.