The Scottish Government

SCOTTISH ACADEMY
FOR HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGEMENT

Bulletin: September 2004

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The Scottish Academy for Health Policy and Management (SAHPM) Implementation Year was launched by the Minister for Health in April 2004. This Bulletin updates Stakeholders, Partners, and interested parties on the SAHPM's recent activities, and disseminates news of other innovative work ongoing in health related projects and emerging networks linked to the SAHPM.

In the last issue of the Bulletin we asked for contributions for the next edition. We received a number of interesting contributions from a variety of SAHPM stakeholders, including NHSS staff, academics and voluntary organizations, and the following represents a selection of the contributions received:

The Bulletin also contains information on various events for the Autumn/Winter supported by SAHPM; an update on National and International Network Development; and reports on new directions for engagement between SEHD, Universities, NHSS and other communities of practice in the evidence gathering process.

The Scottish Academy for Health Policy and Management: Implementation Year Update

Establishment of Delivery Group

A small, focussed Delivery Group has been established to provide expertise and advice to support the SAHPM Implementation Team. The aims of the Delivery Group are to produce a comprehensive business plan to deliver the approved organisational model. The business plan will clearly set out options for the form, structure and governance arrangements for the SAHPM and be supported by a robust financial framework. Work to produce the formal business plan is progressing steadily.

Membership of the Delivery Group is as follows:
Professor Frank Clark, Director Strathcarron Hospice (Chair)
Sir John Arbuthnott, Chair NHS Greater Glasgow
George Brechin, Chief Executive NHS Fife
Barbara Doig, Chief Researcher, Scottish Executive
Professor Roland Jung, Chief Scientist, Scottish Executive
Dr. Charles Swainson, Medical Director, NHS Lothian
Paul Martin, Chief Nursing Officer, SEHD
Dr. Mac Armstrong, Chief Medical Officer, SEHD
Mr Neil Campbell, Chief Executive NHS Argyll and Clyde
Dr. Peter Collings, Director, Directorate of Performance Management and Finance, SEHD
Professor George Irving, Chair NHS Ayrshire and Arran
Anne Markham, Chair NHS Education for Scotland
Stephen Thornton, Chief Executive, The Health Foundation

Members of the Delivery group can be contacted through Kirsteen Macleod ( kirsteen.macleod@scotland.gsi.gov.uk ) who manages Secretariat arrangements for the Group.

Reference Group Development

Following the establishment of the Delivery Group it was acknowledged that the SAHPM Steering Group had completed its task and that this group should be disbanded. However, to maintain wider representative engagement and interest it was agreed that a Reference Group be established. This suggestion was supported by the Minister for Health and Community Care who is keen to be involved in the process to establish the Academy. The Minister will chair the Reference Group which will meet in October 2004.

The Reference Group will provide a useful forum in which the SAHPM Implementation Team and Delivery Group can test ideas and ensure ongoing Stakeholder and Partner involvement in the development of the Academy. The first meeting of the Group will provide an opportunity to focus on priority action areas for inclusion in the SAHPM work programme.

SAHPM National Network development

The Scottish Academy for Health Policy and Management is based on the development of knowledge networks. In testing the feasibility of the concept the SAHPM team have been successful in attracting a wide range of individuals, groups and organisations who have expressed interest in becoming members of the Academy networks. The development of National and International networks remains a crucial element of the Foundation year activity.

The SAHPM Team have been successful in promoting the credibility of the Academy concept and have attracted a wide range of interest from Scotland and further afield. To facilitate the development of 'communities of practice' the team are keen to hear from individuals or groups who are working in (or who would like to work in) a topic focused area.

The Team would like to hear from you if you or your group would like to make contact with others who share an interest in your area of activity. Please contact the team via gill.clark@scotland.gsi.gov.uk .

International Network Development

The SAHPM Team have made significant progress in developing international contacts in North America and Australasia.

For example, members of the Team were invited to meet with the Canadian Academic and Government community to participate in a series of seminars focused on health services research and policy in Spring 2004. Health Canada is recognised for its investment in developing a knowledge management strategy which is tailored to advance policy relevant research and development and the SAHPM Team were able to make connections with colleagues across Canada - please contact the Team if you would like to develop links with our Canadian colleagues

European Network Development

The Academy aims to make connections with partners in Europe, and the Team have been exploring the potential of developing research networks supported by European funding. SEHD has been engaged in an EU Cost Action programme (see reference to this programme in the events section) and is keen to hear from colleagues interested in developing relationships with colleagues - policy, academic, or practitioner - in the EU.

Work within the Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD)

A key objective of the Academy is to provide resources which are both meaningful and relevant to colleagues in SEHD. SAHPM Team members have been providing support across a wide number of policy areas ranging from sexual health to the modernisation of NHS dental services. This work has raised awareness of the value of the knowledge broker function in being able to identify appropriate resources to provide analytical support which is both timely and relevant to the day to day work of policy colleagues.

The SAHPM team have developed close working relationships with colleagues in the Analytical Services Division and there are plans to recruit a member of staff who will be a joint appointment between the two teams.

Engagement with Funding Bodies

Professor Frank Clark, Chairman of the Delivery Group, was delighted to receive confirmation of 50,000 donation from the Health Foundation at the last meeting of the Delivery Group.

Professor David Gani, Director of Research Policy and Strategy, Scottish Funding Council continues to provide support to the project through his membership of the Steering Group and now as a member of the Reference Group. Professor Gani said he hopes "that continued discussion between SAHPM and SEHD will yield results in the not too distant future".

The SAHPM Team will be meeting with Joseph Rowntree Foundation and discussions are taking place with the Nuffield Trust in the early Autumn.

Discussions have begun with the ESRC to initiate joint working between the Academy and this funding council. SAHPM and SEHD are working with academic collaborators on a range of policy relevant PhD funding applications to the ESRC CASE studentship programme. For more information, see:

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/ESRCContent/postgradfunding/case_studentships.asp .

In response to growing interest in this area the Team is also exploring mechanisms for innovation in PhD funding and postgraduate study focusing on capacity building around policy-linked evidence gathering. Colleagues from the NHSS and partner organisations who have an interest in this area of activity are encouraged to email: gill.clark@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

'We are Hungry for Evidence'
Minister for Health and Community Care

In a recent meeting with the SAHPM Team, The Minister for Health and Community Care, Mr. Malcolm Chisholm, welcomed and supported the Scottish Academy for Health Policy and Management in seeking to broaden the evidence base to inform Ministers in developing Scottish initiatives and to monitor and evaluate what works in practice. The Minister emphasised that we in Scotland must not 'operate as an island' and expressed a need to look outwith Scotland, to the rest of the UK and internationally, in order to learn lessons and develop a knowledge base of what does and doesn't work, to inform policy development in a Scottish context.

The Minister stated that 'what matters is what works' and, for this reason, Scottish politicians 'hunger for an evidence base' to support them in developing Scottish policy. Mr Chisholm personally recognised the value of evidence in improving policy, and in instilling public confidence in political decisions.

Mr Chisholm said he felt that 'an important part of evidence is that it challenges people's prejudices and assumptions' and that Ministers 'should remain very open minded, and be prepared to be challenged by the evidence'. Mr Chisholm was also supportive of using a broad range of evidence, particularly applied and action research, focussing on outcomes. He felt that the Scottish Academy for Health Policy and Management could bring added value to the policy making process by facilitating the transfer of knowledge between professions which traditionally have not always worked together, such as clinicians and academics. He also welcomed the number of multi-disciplinary networks spanning Scotland and the UK being harnessed and developed by the SAHPM Implementation Team, and looked forward to benefiting from the expert knowledge they could contribute to the development of Scottish policies.

NHS Argyll & Clyde: Action Research Project

Background and Context

NHS Argyll & Clyde has, since January 2003, been pursuing a radical programme of modernisation and change in the areas of clinical services, finances, and organisational structure and process. The aim of this programme is to build a new NHS Argyll & Clyde, which provides safe, sustainable services for patients, has the confidence of its population, and is a place where staff enjoy and in which they are proud to work in. A key component of this is to build a framework which supports our organisation to become a genuine 'learning organisation.' By this we mean an organisation in which each individual has the opportunity to reflect on, and learn from their experiences and to apply that learning.

Using Action Research approaches

In support of the above aims, NHS Argyll & Clyde plans to begin a structured piece of work using action research approaches as a specific intervention in September 2004. There is considerable evidence to suggest that action research can be a useful tool in supporting organisational change and learning, as well as leadership development. ¹ The fundamental aim of action research is to improve practice, with the production of knowledge a beneficial by-product rather than a core aim. The emphasis is on the study of a social situation with a view to improving the quality of action within it. The validity of theories or hypotheses it generates depends on their usefulness in helping people to act intelligently and skilfully.

We believe that the use of this approach will be of tremendous benefit in pursuit of our overall aims and will support us to identify and use the existing knowledge and capability within the organisation.

Although there is some internal expertise in this area in NHS Argyll & Clyde, we felt it important to use additional external support in introducing the approach to the organisation, and have begun to work with Cathy Sharp from Research for Real on this basis. The core principles underpinning her approach are:

Emergence and learning from experience Rather than trying to predict the future, and apply a fixed model of organisational development in a grand plan or strategy written at the start, we will instead work with leaders at all levels and across all professional groups of the organisation to generate practical, sustainable ways of working based on their experience of working in the organisation.

Developing Learning in Action by which we mean developing capacity within the organisation to learn from working on real world problems in a supported and facilitated way. This support gives staff new ways of looking at the problem they are immersed in, has them slow down their thinking and notice the assumptions they are making, and enables them to look at their working style with each other in the heat of real problem solving. It avoids creating "ideal conditions" for development which prevent the application of their learning to the working environment.

Disseminating the Learning

Developing a learning culture in NHS Argyll and Clyde not only encourages personal development and organisational development by releasing knowledge into the system but also means we are creating an evidence base for what we are doing as we go.

By disseminating our learning, we believe that the work will be valuable not only to ourselves but to NHS Scotland and other organisations engaged in change processes. Our experience will also provide an opportunity for SAHPM and organisations associated with it to learn from the application of action research approaches within this type of organisational context.

Further information about the work can be sought from

Judith Ward
Director of Organisational Development, NHS Argyll & Clyde
0141 842 7271
Judith.Ward@achb.scot.nhs.uk

NHS Scotland e-Library

The new NHS Scotland e-Library ² was launched on 30th November at a national Knowledge Management Forum "Managing Knowledge to Support the Patient Journey" held in Stirling Royal Infirmary Conference Centre and attended by over 150 clinicians, managers and information practitioners from all parts of NHS Scotland.

The e-Library constitutes the primary vehicle for delivery of NHS Education's national strategy for NHS Scotland Knowledge Services "Exploiting the Power of Knowledge in NHS Scotland" ³.

The launch marked a transition in the e-Library's development from a predominant focus on provision of high quality knowledge content, to providing proactive, personalised and interactive knowledge management, facilitating the sharing of tacit and explicit knowledge among NHS staff.

The new dynamic system builds upon the established foundation of comprehensive content directed at the knowledge needs of the full range of NHS staff groups - medicine, nursing and the allied health professions, management, health improvement, Estates and Facilities and ancillary staff - to apply relevant knowledge to their day to day practice.

The new service now also offers:

Knowledge Portals for Cancer, Coronary Heart Disease and Mental Health. The Portals provide focused, evaluated resources, expert searches and tailored alerting services as well as Discussion Forums and a Knowledge Exchange platform to support Communities of Practice or "Managed Knowledge Networks" in these areas. New portals are planned for Healthcare Associated Infections, Diabetes, Stroke Therapy, and Remote and Rural Healthcare.

Knowledge Exchanges, offering a Virtual Workspace to support Communities of Practice or "Managed Knowledge Networks" in sharing both explicit and tacit knowledge.

Discussion Forums, including the facility to create new Forums for defined user groups.

Knowledge Partnerships, enabling seamless searching via the e-Library of resources provided by other major national and local knowledge services, e.g., the health and social care Gateways of the Resource Discovery Network (RDN); the Health Scotland database of voluntary support groups; the TRIP collection of guidelines and systematic reviews; the Scottish Executive database of policy documents.

Advanced Search functionality and a Topic Directory based on detailed indexing of knowledge content, making it easier for NHS staff to find key resources in their field of interest.

Linking of online and offline knowledge support through access to a directory of local health library and information services and to document requesting services.

These latest advances all extend the e-Library's core function of provision of quality knowledge content into the domains of interactive knowledge sharing and knowledge management. We hope that these developments will provide a practical demonstration of NHS Education's commitment to partnership working within the NHS and across sectors, exploiting technology and empowering staff to ensure effective knowledge support for both clinical and managerial practice.

Dr Ann Wales, NHS Scotland Library Service Development Coordinator,ann.wales@nes.scot.nhs.uk

The Scottish Academy for Health Policy and Management is adopting and developing best practice in the field of knowledge management. The SAHPM identifies and links existing resources to maximise benefit and achieve best value. NHS Education has expressed a commitment to partnership working which can help the SAHPM achieve its objective of developing a knowledge exchange to support communities of practice and to disseminate knowledge and learning.

The Berry Scotland Programme - science meets policy

The Berry Scotland Programme aims 'to increase consumption of Scottish fruit eaten by Scots in Scotland'. The programme is based in the Centre for Public Health Nutrition Research in the University of Dundee and is managed by a voluntary programme board with representatives from disciplines as diverse as science, nutrition, medicine, rural affairs, product development, plant breeding, and soft fruit production.

In 2002, The Berry Scotland Programme received Scottish Executive funding (from SEERAD and SEHD) for the post of a scientific co-ordinator to review current understanding of basic science relating to soft fruit and health; to facilitate research; and to disseminate findings relevant for health agencies, food product developers and the worldwide web. The research reviewed spanned from laboratory data on the analysis of bioactive components in berries, epidemiological data on the relationship between berries and health (and disease) to the evidence base for successful routes to changing dietary behaviour.

Information, dissemination and visibility about the health benefits of berries has also led to complementary work designed to help increase soft fruit consumption in Scotland. Examples of interagency working include:

Much of the practical work undertaken by the Berry Programme has been to explore the feasibility of interventions using Scottish berries and the impact on consumption. The ease of order, transport, delivery, storage, sales and marketing in local authority settings were examined in a "berry day" held in the Angus area primary schools when local strawberries were made available on the school dinner menu. The berry day proved very successful and the initiative has since been tested in other local authority areas including Perth & Kinross, Dundee City and Stirling.

Although funding from the Scottish Executive has now come to an end, Scottish Enterprise is funding a new Marketing Co-ordinator to identify the potential for marketing Scottish fruit in the following arenas:

Fresh berries (in season)

Frozen berries (all year round)
New product developments (e.g. desserts)
Soft drinks market (including milk-based drinks)
Public sector activities (e.g. fruit in schools)

It is clear that the private, public and voluntary sectors are all interested and enthusiastic about Scottish fruit. The next challenge is to identify ways to help all sectors of society access good quality locally grown soft fruit at realistic prices for longer periods during the year. The potential benefits for growers and consumers translate into wider benefits for the local economy and for national health.

Professor Annie S. Anderson on behalf of The Berry Scotland Board
www.berryscotland.com

Ethnic Minority Health

Scotland's minority ethnic groups constitute approximately 2% of the total population, made up of resident migrant communities as well as increasingly diverse representation due in part to the recruitment of skilled and unskilled staff from overseas, migration from the new EU member states and asylum seekers and refugees.

Generic analysis of the total population may still not be sensitive enough to identify and address the needs of these various groups and communities. Abundant evidence highlights the impact of culture on health, the excess of ill health in some minority ethnic communities and the many barriers to access, including the impact of racism on health and well-being.

In April 2002 the National Resource Centre for Ethnic Minority Health (NRCEMH) was established within NHS Health Scotland to support NHS organisations in delivering the minority ethnic health agenda. Key partner organisations are the Scottish Executive Health Department, NHS Boards and the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE).

The NRCEMH's aim is to ensure that minority ethnic patients (users) will receive an appropriate, high-quality and effective health care, in an equitable, accessible and culturally sensitive manner. It focuses on 4 main areas - policy, training, information and mental health, with project managers leading in each area.

We are also developing the evidence base in a number of ways, including health needs assessments. Two short-term linkworker posts have recently been created - one focusing on Gypsy/Traveller health issues and one addressing the needs of Chinese patients and carers living with cancer. The remit of both these posts includes carrying out health needs assessments using participatory appraisal methodology to ensure effective engagement and involvement of representatives from minority ethnic groups.

Stage 1: policy development

The framework for the Centre is a comprehensive audit - 'Fair For All' - of how each of the fifteen local NHS Boards were performing in the area of race equality. All boards were also required to produce a Race Equality Scheme by November 2002 as part of their specific duties under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 (RRAA).

In 2003 a first joint assessment of the work was carried out in partnership with the CRE. This commented on the quality and content of boards' responses as well as making suggestions for improvement. ⁴ Earlier this year the Health Minister announced the intention to extend Fair For All to other equality strands. New EU equality legislation on religion or belief, sexual orientation and age will also set further new requirements on boards.

Stage 2: policy implementation

NRCEMH's Policy Network is currently chaired by the Chief Executive of NHS Lanarkshire, David Piggot. Each of the boards has nominated a representative onto the Network, helping to drive forward the agenda, co-ordinate practical guidance and influence wider policy development within the Scottish Executive Health Department.

Challenges for the Network:

Working within a rapidly changing agenda and sustaining the focus on race equality whilst embedding the work into an integrated diversity approach crossing all of the equality strands.

Setting milestones, outputs and outcomes. The Network is planning to develop clear, practical Performance Indicators for boards.

Increasing community engagement with, and board accountability to, minority ethnic patients, carers and staff. Boards are facilitating local minority ethnic Consultative Forum to determine health priorities and needs at both strategic and operational levels as well as to monitor effectiveness.

Developing skills in carrying out race/diversity impact assessments in order to mainstream race equality across all divisions and departments and gain corporate responsibility. NRCEMH is working in partnership with the Involving People Team, SEHD and NHS Education to plan training workshops early in 2005 for all Boards in this area. We are also beginning to use the model in our own work, for example mental health and community development.

Sharing of good practices and standards, both clinical and non-clinical. This allows us to celebrate the successes as well as responding to the gaps and weaknesses.

The next review of Race Equality Schemes by the CRE will take place in November 2005 with annual updates on Fair For All progress requested in March each year.

For further information on any of the above please contact:

Eleanor McKnight, Policy Project Manager
NRCEMH, NHS Health Scotland
Eleanor.mcknight@phis.csa.scot.nhs.uk

Arts and Health: Review of the Evidence

Janet Ruiz, Senior Research Officer in the Scottish Executive Tourism, Culture and Sport Analytical Services Unit, has recently carried out a literature review for the Scottish Executive's Culture, the Arts and Sport Divisions. The Review summarises research evidence of the social and economic impact of culture, the arts and sport and provides a coherent social research evidence base to inform Scottish policy development in various areas. The Review also highlights gaps in evidence and makes several recommendations for future developments in research in the areas of culture, the arts and sport.

Amongst the research areas reviewed was that of the impact of the arts on healthcare. The Review concludes that research (including clinical research) has shown that participation in cultural activities can lead to improved physical and mental health (e.g. reduced stress levels, reduction in anxiety and blood pressure, reduction in visits to GPs etc). The Review also concludes that clinical, hospital based research has provided hard, undisputed facts on the benefits to health of arts participation. However, 'softer' more qualitative outcomes have been shown to include improved communication skills in those with special needs; 'carers' having developed new skills and confidence; and improved interpersonal skills and increased social networks having led to an improved sense of well-being amongst the target population.

One of the recommendations the Review makes to 'plug' gaps in research, is that there is a need for a more formal outcome evaluation of the role of arts in health, with many projects being too small-scale for rigorous analysis; there is also a need, where appropriate, for the social and economic impact of the benefits of arts interventions in healthcare to be assessed, with financial savings to the NHS demonstrated by economically evaluating the benefits to patients' health.

Greenspace

Greenspace Scotland's story began in the 1990s when surveys conducted by Scottish Natural Heritage revealed that despite the increasing clamour for new housing and the relentless development of our towns and cities, there was no single entity in place to either co-ordinate green space activity or emphasise its benefits on a national scale. Yet here was something which, with the right direction could have huge benefits for local communities, not just from an environmental standpoint but in contributing to regeneration, community development, education, investment, adult learning and, of course, health.

Fifteen months on from its launch in March 2003 and Greenspace Scotland is now well established as a national umbrella body for local greenspace trusts and partnerships which between them cover most of urban Scotland.

The potential for gardening, growing and outdoor projects to contribute to healthier communities is far reaching. In Spring 2004, we held a national seminar 'Spaces to Grow' in partnership with the Scottish Community Diet Project and the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens. Pam Whittle (Director of Health Improvement, SE) and Mary Allison (Scottish Physical Activity Co-ordinator) drew the links between community gardening and core NHS concerns about heart disease, exercise and mental health.

There are many examples of innovative community projects demonstrating the links between green space, gardening and health, such as a those supporting communities in financing and developing grow-your-own allotments and community gardens; involving people in physical activities such as bulb planting, rubbish clearance and path creation; stimulating children into physical activity through creating outdoor environments such as skate parks; and developing and leading healthy walks for local people, heart and stroke patients, people with mental health difficulties and drug rehabilitation groups.

While the health benefits of green space and gardening are becoming more widely recognised, we have some way to go to make them integral to health policy, planning and service delivery. For example, while links between physical activity and health have been recognised for some time with GPs referring patients to gyms, the great benefits that referrals to outdoor activities such as healthy walks can bring is only now beginning to be recognised.

We are now facing two major challenges:

In meeting these challenges, Greenspace Scotland in partnership with Health Scotland, Communities Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage have commissioned research into green space and quality of life ⁵. Over the next few months we will also be working with colleagues in NHS Scotland and local health trusts to develop a health impact assessment for green space. We have also been working closely with SAHPM to explore the potential for bringing the relationships between green space, gardening and the core activities of the NHSS into the foreground, so that this can move beyond being a marginal issue, addressed by groundbreaking projects, to an integral part of partnerships for health.

Fiona Duncan, Greenspace Scotland
Antonia Ineson, NHS Lothian

NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Challenges in Implementing Policy

One of the challenges in implementing policy is to identify key common strands underpinning different policies and initiatives. A major challenge is in identifying shared goals and outcomes and in prioritising policy objectives at a local level. An example of how this challenge has been met in Ayrshire is single shared assessment. In this area NHS Ayrshire & Arran and the three local authorities have realized that the only way forward is through using electronic solutions and all have signed up as local projects under the eCare initiative.

From Rhetoric to Reality

A high priority for us is to demonstrate how policy in action is leading to improvements in health and health services. A common theme is the need for 'joined up working'. In Ayrshire we are confident that we have put this policy into action. A local example of this is providing services under one roof where we are applying principles from the prize winning Dalmellington Centre, an innovative community initiative that provides council, health and police services as well as electronic service delivery by other government departments under one roof, to other developments including larger scale 'second generation' schemes like North West Kilmarnock. Another key strand running through various policy initiatives is working in different ways and as part of different teams. In meeting the challenge of policy implementation, we at NHS Ayrshire and Arran have employed a 'corporate portfolio' approach in recent years with individuals from NHS organisations taking single system wide leads on strategic issues. As part of this we have formed multi and inter-disciplinary teams to tackle objectives such as waiting times, delayed discharges, and national clinical priorities. This has helped us to focus less on rhetoric and more on system wide action.

Dr Allan Gunning

SAHPM Autumn/Winter Meetings

Over Autumn/Winter SAHPM will be working with partners and colleagues to test different dissemination and communication models. If you would like further information about any of these events please contact the SAHPM Team or identified contact below.

Sunday 24th - Tuesday 26th October 2004:
E39 European Cost Action conference: Forests, Trees and Human Health and Wellbeing
A three day meeting bringing together delegates from the European Union, National Health Service, Forestry Commission, NGOs and other partners and stakeholders to discuss the links between health and forestry.
Venue: Edinburgh University, Old College; Contact:richard.mitchell@ed.ac.uk

Monday 1st November 2004
From Joint Future to Community Health Partnerships and Beyond: making research, audit and performance assessment
An event organised by The Scottish School of Primary Care, Association of Directors of Social Work and the NHS, and supported by SAHPM.
Venue: Inchyra Hotel - Polmont; Contact:rosemary.porteous@ed.ac.uk

November 2004
(Date to be confirmed)
SAHPM/ISA Policy Colloquium
A joint Improvement Service Agency and SAHPM Policy Colloquium to provide an opportunity for key Stakeholders in Health and Local Government to consider areas of joint interest. The colloquium also provides an opportunity to demonstrate how the Improvement Service Agency and SAHPM will work in partnership.
Venue: to be confirmed (Glasgow); Contact:Kirsteen.macleod@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Friday 21st January 2005
(NB Date Provisional)
SAHPM/Centre for Research on Families and Relationships agenda setting event to discuss evidence sources to inform family interaction with NHSS from cradle to grave
Led by University of Edinburgh, an opportunity for discussion of ways in which the academic community can contribute to providing evidence to support the relationship between families and health systems. Plenary and breakout subjects will reflect current policy priorities.
To request a programme and registration information please contact:s.morton@ed.ac.uk

Spring 2005
(NB Date to be confirmed)
Knowledge Brokerage Seminar
A meeting to discuss bridging the gap between research, policy and practice to bring together NHSS, SEHD, Academics and partners to discuss the concept of Knowledge Brokerage as it applies to SAHPM.
Venue: to be confirmed; Contact:Kirsteen.macleod@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

For further information please contact any member of the Scottish Academy for Health Policy and Management Team:

Liz Kelly,
Director, SAHPM Implementation Team
Health Department
Scottish Executive
St Andrews House, 1N.02
Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG

Email: elizabeth.kelly@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 0131 244 2427

Leyla Charlaff
leyla.charlaff@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Tel. 0131 244 3787

Dr Gill Clark
Scottish Executive Social Research
Office of Chief Researcher/SAHPM
St Andrews House (4WR)
Regent Road, Edinburgh, EH1 3DG

Email: gill.clark@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Tel. 0131 244 2097

Molly Fitch
Email: molly.fitch@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Kirsteen Macleod
Email: kirsteen.macleod@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 0131 244 2427

Footnotes

1 For references and additional information on this, see Sharp, C et al 2003 'Action Research - a background paper'

2 http://www.elib.scot.nhs.uk

3 http://www.elib.scot.nhs.uk/news/documents/nhss_knowledge_strategy.pdf.

4 The full assessment is available on NHS Health Scotland's website: www.phis.org.uk .

5 This report, and related publications will be available shortly at www.greenspacescotland.org.uk