Using Place as a lens to improve Health 2023
We had approximately 100 people attend the Symposium at Haddo House on 9th November 2023. With representations across the North East of Scotland, from third sector organisations, local authorities, NHS, academia and Public Health Scotland.
The event programme was designed to build on activities that have been going on across the region for the past 18 months. This included a focus on nature-based activities to improve health and environment alongside the wider context, particularly pressures due to cost of living and inequality.
There was a groundswell of interest in enabling community-led developments alongside the structural supports that come from leadership and policy. Small group discussions on the day shared local examples of work, experiences and successes, intending to help us to consider ways in which collective action at all levels can help to scale-up place-based improvements. The primary objectives from the day were to increase networking, build relationships and to inspire action.
The presentations from our keynote speakers, Rich Mitchell (University of Glasgow) and Michael Kellet (Public Health Scotland) were very well received, following the on-the-spot evaluation. Feedback from the small group discussions was positive and constructive. There was value in having the visible presence of local and national leaders not just as demonstration of support, but also to hear the challenges and possibilities for change from a grassroots perspective.
Identified gaps:
- A deeper representation of lived experience around the table discussing Place and Wellbeing.
- A greater understanding of the health benefits when accessing nature-based places.
- Volunteers and community champions to help promote and to support people to access nature.
- Complex and mixed views on green space by a variety of stakeholders result in delayed action and successful positive progression.
- Sharing of information and reaching the right places.
Proposed actions:
- Adopt a common language and understanding around ‘Place’.
- Policy that compliments and enriches national, regional and local strategies.
- Gather stories and listen to lived experience.
- Capacity to sustain green spaces.
- Invest time and resources to gather data to evidence the benefits of Place and Wellbeing.
- To take ‘test of change’ Social Prescribing projects to the next level and develop a universal model with an agreed single directory of services.
- Raise awareness of the benefits to accessing nature and green spaces with a focus on the younger generation.
As we look to the next 12 months, our endeavour is to provide support at local level to enable pieces of work to have an opportunity to develop.
It is also to continue building upon the valuable networking opportunities across the North East of Scotland and working together with our communities to achieve visible health benefits where we live, work and play. This will be supported by data as evidence and be an example to other regions of what can be achieved when place is on centre stage.
For further information click on the links below.