Prevention Hub marks latest phase of development

Police Scotland’s Chief Constable Jo Farrell visited Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI) on 2 April, marking the latest phase in the development of efforts to reduce health and social inequalities throughout Scotland.

Since its launch in 2023, the Scottish Prevention Hub has been considering how to foster closer collaboration between public services, enrich relationships and cultivate a whole system focus on prevention.

Following today’s visit, key staff from the three partners will be considering how to take this learning into its next phase, utilising data driven innovation, advocating for collaborative leadership, focusing in on place-based activity and creating the conditions for a more preventative approach in Scotland.

There are clear links between health and justice. Social determinants of health, such as adverse childhood experiences, poverty, social exclusion, and addiction, also increase the likelihood of involvement in the criminal justice system. No sector alone can address the complex range of issues facing our populations’ health and wellbeing.

Working towards a collective purpose the Scottish Prevention Hub has set out six workstreams focusing on data collaboration, research and evidence, place-based insights, collaborative leadership, sustainable structures and learning and evaluation.

The Hub is co-directed by Dr Kristy Docherty, EFI’s Public Sector Lead, Clair Thomson, Collaboration Transformation Manager at Police Scotland, and Dr Diane Stockton, Head of Clinical, Public Health Intelligence and Research at Public Health Scotland.