SCDC

Policy Context

Since 1997, the principles and practice of community development have helped shape the policy agenda in developing partnership working between the NHS and community and voluntary sectors.  The White Paper Designed to Care (December 1997) was the first policy from the then Scottish Office that highlighted the benefits to health improvement from patient focus and community involvement.  This was followed by the then Scottish Executive with a number of national policies that recognise the value that patients, carers, community members and the wider public in shaping and implementing services related to health and wellbeing.  Our present Government has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to partnership working with communities, which is strongly reflected in ‘Better Health: Better Care’ (2007).  These policies have emerged from different departments within national government, but primarily through departments responsible for health, housing, regeneration, adult education local government.  Over the last 12 yrs the key health related policies include:

  • Scottish Community Empowerment Action Plan (2009)
  • Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland: Policy And Action Plan 2009-2011 (2009)
  • 'Equally Well' Report of the Ministerial Task Force on health inequalities (2008)
  • Better Health, Better Care (2007)
  • Delivering Scotland’s Health (2005)
  • Closing the Opportunity Gap (2003)
  • Partnership in Care (2003)
  • Improving Health in Scotland: The Challenge (2003)
  • Community Wellbeing – Capacity Building in Mental Health (2003)
  • Local Government Bill: Guidance Effective Community Engagement (2002)
  • Patient Focus: Public Involvement Framework (2001)
  • Nursing for Health: A Review of the Contribution of Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors to Improving the Public’s Health in Scotland (2000)
  • Our National Health: A Plan for Action, A Plan for Change (2000)
  • Social Justice – a Scotland Where Everyone Matters (1999)
  • Working Towards a Healthier Scotland (1999)
  • Designed to Care (1997)

Resumes of the majority of these policies, together with implications for Community Health Initiatives, can be found in ‘Understanding the Policy Maze: A Guide to Social and Health Policy in Scotland' (2005) and also in the CDF Journal of Community Work and Development No. 5 – ‘Community Development in Health – A Scottish Perspective’.  For more information about the latter publication, please visit the Publications Section of the Community Development Foundation's website at www.cdf.org.uk/.