Scottish Health Equity Research Unit

The focus now needs to be on driving implementation, and on ensuring that commitments to more collaborative policy-making are backed up by resourcing, delivery, and stronger links between Scottish Government strategies and teams.

The plan outlines much-needed actions to prevent suicide in Scottish prisons. There’s a strong overlap between health and justice systems in Scotland; it would be good to hear more about the role of organisations working at this intersection in communities (e.g. Police Scotland, justice social work)

The Scottish Government highlights underpinning socioeconomic factors, with poverty, homelessness, unemployment, debt and trauma all specifically mentioned. There is also a welcome focus on strengthening grass-roots community links.

Creating Hope Together: Scotland's Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2026-2029 The second three year action plan of Creating Hope Together: Scotland’s Suicide Prevention Strategy (2022-2032)

The Scottish Government’s new suicide prevention plan, "Creating Hope Together: Scotland’s Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2026–2029", is now out: www.gov.scot/publications...

Comparing poverty rates in Scotland and the rest of the UK - Scottish Health Equity Research Unit Poverty rates are affected by a wide range of factors, including economic and demographic shifts as well as government policy. Comparing poverty rates in Scotland with those in the rest of the UK…

SHERU has published new analysis on poverty in Scotland, shedding light on the socio-economic drivers of health inequalities. How do poverty rates compare in Scotland and the rest of the UK, how have they changed over time, and what has driven those changes?

scothealthequity.org/comparing-po...

Prevention Watch January 2026 - Scottish Health Equity Research Unit Prevention Watch is a regular Scottish Health Equity Research Unit (SHERU) briefing that looks at prevention as a means of public service delivery to reduce health inequalities in Scotland.

Our January edition of Prevention Watch is out today.

In this edition, we look at prevention in the Scottish and UK budgets, a report on health and employment, links between wealth inequality and suicide, and England’s new youth strategy.

Check it out here: scothealthequity.org/prevention-w...

foreCASt: public debt and financial security Join us for the first episode of our new election insights series of foreCASt which will cover public debt and financial security.

Sign up for the first of an exciting series from @citizensadvicescot.bsky.social in the run-up to the upcoming Scottish election, foreCASt: looking at key policy areas that must see change.

This episode will cover public debt and financial security🪙📈

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/forecast-p...

(5/5) These inequalities are preventable. Tackling low incomes, poor housing, job insecurity, education gaps and limited community resources is essential. Scotland’s challenge is ensuring that longer, healthier lives are not a privilege but a reality for all.

(4/5) Life expectancy rises as deprivation falls and is highest in rural areas and lowest in urban areas, with nearly a 3-year difference for men. Place and socioeconomic conditions clearly remain key determinants of health in Scotland.

(3/5) The deprivation gap remains stark: women in the most deprived areas live 10.5 fewer years than those in the least, and for men the gap is 13.2. These differences reflect long-standing socioeconomic conditions including income, housing, education and work.

(2/5) Scotland still has the lowest life expectancy in the UK, around two years lower than England and over a year lower than Wales. Compared with Western Europe, Scotland continues to lag. These are structural differences, not inevitable ones.

(1/5) New National Records of Scotland statistics show life expectancy in Scotland is now 81.06 for women and 77.12 for men. It has risen slightly since 2021–23, nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, but progress is modest and inequalities remain central.

Recorded at the Fraser of Allander 50th Anniversary Conference, the Technology Innovation Centre, September 19th 2025. Featuring: Emma Congreve (SHERU Co-Lead and Deputy Director of the Fraser of… 2025 Inequality Landscape Report Launch

Recorded at the Fraser of Allander 50th Anniversary Conference, the Technology Innovation Centre, September 19th 2025.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=a45p...

Recorded at the Fraser of Allander 50th Anniversary Conference, the Technology Innovation Centre, September 19th 2025. Featuring: Emma Congreve (SHERU Co-Lead and Deputy Director of the Fraser of… 2025 Inequality Landscape Report Launch

Focusing on average outcomes paints a picture of men in Scotland doing relatively well but this obscures a subset of young adult men facing multiple socio-economic challenges who are at high risk of early, preventable deaths.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=a45p...

Recorded at the Fraser of Allander 50th Anniversary Conference, the Technology Innovation Centre, September 19th 2025. Featuring: Emma Congreve (SHERU Co-Lead and Deputy Director of the Fraser of… 2025 Inequality Landscape Report Launch

⚕️ 2025 Inequality Landscape Report Launch 📝

Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=a45p...

We suggest there have been modest gains in some living-standards, but this is set against persistent, and in places deepening, structural inequalities that continue to drive poor health.

Prevention Watch October 2025 - Scottish Health Equity Research Unit Prevention Watch is a regular Scottish Health Equity Research Unit (SHERU) briefing that looks at prevention as a means of public service delivery to reduce health inequalities in Scotland.

Our October edition of Prevention Watch is out today. This month we look at budget process reforms, developments in housing policy, an evaluation of the Planet Youth pilot for Scotland, and a talk from the Auditor General at our annual report launch.

Read more here:

🏛️ We're here at the parliament with @healthfoundation.bsky.social for the next few days, talking about our latest report on prevention deaths from drugs, alcohol and suicide.

Read the report here: scothealthequity.org/2025-inequal...

5. The refresh of the national performance framework gives a chance to revisit and agree outcomes to work towards, but also drive a better collaborative approach to delivery.

4. There was recognition that the shift to prevention challenges us to rethink our approaches, and to find ways to bring the public with us. The journey to prevention is hard - there is no “template to make the shift”, but there is a clear need to do so.

3. There was also discussion on the wider work in SHERU, utilising action learning set methodologies within local authorities and the importance of space for cross collaborative working.

2. The panel noted the importance of learning from examples, as emphasised by SHERU on other models demonstrated in Ireland and Iceland.

1. Questions to the panel included how best to respond to policy blind spots, managing the shift to prevention and a challange on bringing wider public engagement to difficult decision-making choices.

ICYCMI some insights from our panel discussion at the launch of the new SHERU report out today on how to prevent premature deaths from drugs, alcohol and suicide amongst men in Scotland (a 🧵):

(3/3) He highlighted core statistics and evidence of “wasted opportunities” as illustrated in the SHERU research published today and focused on the need to be thinking about good governance, national outcomes, and spending plans.

(2/3) Whilst highlighting the challenging times for us in Scotland we need to do more to recognise and realise the ambitions from the Christie Commission, published 14 years ago(!), around prevention.

(1/3) At the launch of SHERU's report this morning, we were joined by the Auditor General Stephen Boyle to hear about the work of @auditscotland.bsky.social on how to best deliver on preventative policy in Scotland.

Policy "blind spot" driving Scottish men from poor homes to early grave Shocking report slates Scottish Government for failing to build for future success with joined-up policies to reverse our nation's shameful record on drugs, alcohol and suicide deaths

See coverage of today's report from SHERU on how younger adult men, at risk of deaths from drugs, alcohol and suicide, are a 'policy blindspot':

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/policy-...

You can find out more by accessing the full report here: scothealthequity.org/2025-inequal...

7/7 The report concludes that Scotland has the ambition and expertise to reduce preventable deaths — but doing so will need stronger leadership, better data, and more joined-up government decisions.

6/7 Drawing on approaches from Ireland and Iceland, the report calls for person-centred use of data and long-term, coordinated programmes that intervene well before young adults reach crisis point.