External Review of ASH Scotland 2014

3 Vision and Strategic Direction

Alignment of the ASH Scotland vision and strategy with Scottish Government objectives

3.1 The Scottish Government agreed a new Tobacco Control Strategy - Creating a Tobacco Free Generation early in 2013 (hereafter referred to as the 'Strategy'),^[4] which sets out an ambitious target of a "Tobacco-Free Scotland" by 2034, meaning that the proportion of the general population who smoke will have been reduced to 5% or less. The high level of cross-party support for tobacco control measures has enabled the introduction of policies and created an engaged political environment across Scotland. The national Strategy sets out a range of activities which will help reduce the impact of tobacco on disadvantaged groups and on young people, reduce adults' and children's exposure to second hand smoke, and help people to stop smoking. Partnership working across the public and third sector is essential for the Strategy's delivery and each activity has a lead accountable organisation. Three themes run through the Strategy: prevention, protection and cessation, which, with inequalities, inform its performance framework. The Strategy's action plan covers a five year period although it presents a 20 year vision. Progress on the Strategy is overseen by the Ministerial Working Group on Tobacco, supported by a number of sub-groups.

3.2 The current ASH Scotland strategy^[5] covers the years 2010-15 and, so was developed before the current national Strategy. It has a strong vision which is closely aligned with the Scottish Government ambitions for a tobacco-free Scotland. Both Scottish Government representatives and external stakeholders interviewed for this review commented on how well the ASH Scotland strategy complements and supports the national Strategy, and its effectiveness in doing so. The documents share common themes including the focus on prevention, promotion, cessation, and on young people, health inequalities and second hand smoke exposure. This overlap reflects close working over the years between ASH Scotland and the Scottish Government. At the same time there are differences in approach and ambition between ASH Scotland and the Scottish Government, which appropriately reflect the different roles of each.

3.3 The close alignment of ASH Scotland's strategy and the national Tobacco Control Strategy is not altogether surprising as ASH Scotland played a key role in the partnership approach adopted by the Scottish Government in developing the national Strategy. ASH Scotland was a member of the steering group and is a member of the Ministerial Working Group on Tobacco. With others, it campaigned for the inclusion of many of the issues which the Strategy deals with, and is recognised as having made a significant contribution.

3.4 Through its wider work in analysing and presenting research evidence, combined with its campaigning and contribution to policy making forums, ASH Scotland has made major contributions to Parliamentary debate and decisions such as the commitment to introduce standardised packaging and the control of tobacco advertising. It is anticipated that the new ASH Scotland strategy, currently being developed, will be even more closely linked to the national Strategy in its aims, objectives and results framework.

3.5 Both the Scottish Government and a wide range of external stakeholders value the independence of ASH Scotland and emphasise the importance of the organisation in retaining its independent view and voice. The value of an independent body with different views that can be at the forefront of public debate is fully recognised by the Scottish Government, which appreciates that ASH Scotland's strategy will overlap with that of Government but will have differences of priority, pace and ambition. An example of effective pressure was the role ASH Scotland played in lobbying the Organising Committee for the Commonwealth Games to make the Games smoke free. From interviews with two members of the Scottish Parliament's cross-party group on tobacco control it is clear they also value the influencing role of ASH Scotland in contributing to tobacco control debates and it is widely seen as a leader in the field.

Clarity of ASH Scotland's vision and purpose

3.6 External stakeholders engaged with ASH Scotland through partnership or alliance work broadly see it as having a clear purpose and set of aims. A recent stakeholder survey undertaken by ASH Scotland reported that 86% of respondents thought that the organisation was highly or somewhat effective in pursuing its vision. The Scottish Government similarly perceives there to be a clear organisational vision.

3.7 ASH Scotland's current vision, as expressed in the 2010-2015 strategy, sets out aims and outlines planned activities for the period. Achievements in the last five years have been clearly relevant to, and have supported the achievement of, the stated aims in the document. These include: campaigning for a new tobacco control strategy for Scotland; brokering new partnerships between research and practitioners; raising awareness of the links between tobacco use, poverty and health inequalities; and providing training on smoking cessation.

3.8 Stakeholders who regularly engage with ASH Scotland perceive that its vision is communicated effectively. As well as the published strategy report, ASH Scotland also provides the State of the Nation (Smoking in Scotland) report, many research and evidence reports, briefings, a blog, and regular bulletins. It frequently issues press releases and holds interviews with the media to maintain an effective campaigning and public profile. These activities are all valued by stakeholders, and in themselves help communicate the main concerns and objectives of ASH Scotland and of the wider public health sector in Scotland through informing stakeholders and the general public. Stakeholders independently observed that an important part of the way ASH Scotland communicates its vision is through meetings, events, providing information and facilitating understanding. This method is seen as understated but effective.

ASH Scotland's internal strategic planning processes

3.9 ASH Scotland is currently preparing its revised strategy for 2015-2018. The organisation is using a well-planned and structured process to ensure that the new strategy is delivered to time, including engagement with relevant stakeholders. The Board had an initial discussion on the new strategy in December 2013, reviewed a proposal for the outline strategy in January 2014 and will further scope and agree the direction in July 2014. A clear timetable has been set to ensure that the strategy is agreed in time for funding applications in late 2014, and to inform work planning for 2015/16 and subsequent years.

3.10 The new strategy is being informed by various stakeholder consultations. This approach is consistent with ASH Scotland's usual approach, noted positively by stakeholders, of consulting widely before introducing changes. The views of staff were gathered at an away day used to identify priority areas of activity for ASH Scotland. They were asked to consider a future vision, and the changes needed to achieve it.

3.11 External stakeholders were invited to comment on ASH Scotland in an online survey and responses were extremely positive, indicating a high level of satisfaction with the organisation's work. The annual ASH Scotland YouGov poll also provides a snapshot of the wider public's views on tobacco control policy and smoking behaviours, and the results are being used to inform the strategy. The senior management team will map the new strategic plan to the national Strategy, to ensure the two are aligned.

3.12 However, the 2010-2015 ASH Scotland strategy, while setting out a strategic direction, did not provide clear outcome measures by which to assess impact. There is an opportunity for the new strategy to clearly set some longer term objectives and the outcomes it is working towards. This will enable a more structured and strategic approach to frame future work. A simpler and clearer strategy will also help better communicate ASH Scotland's aims and how it will achieve them. Recent internal ASH Scotland discussions on the 2015-18 strategy have identified an intent to set a clearer and more strategic approach and outcome based reporting. The new strategy will cover a three year period rather than a five year period to ensure coherence with the national Strategy timeframe. It would, however, be beneficial to use a longer time frame in which to map outcomes beyond three years. Such a mapping would enable ASH Scotland to assess the contribution of its new strategy to longer term impacts.