Can Scotland achieve its aim of narrowing health inequalities in a post-pandemic world?

David Walsh; Matt Lowther; Gerry McCartney; Katrina Reid

doi:10.1016/j.puhip.2020.100042

Can Scotland achieve its aim of narrowing health inequalities in a post-pandemic world?

Public Health Pract (Oxf). 2020 Nov:1:100042. doi: 10.1016/j.puhip.2020.100042. Epub 2020 Dec 22.

Authors

David Walsh¹, Matt Lowther^{1

2}, Gerry McCartney², Katrina Reid^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Glasgow Centre for Population Health, Olympia Building, 2-16 Orr Street, Bridgeton Cross, Glasgow, G40 2QH, UK, Scotland, United Kingdom.
² Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom.

Abstract

In this commentary we explore the potential for the devolved Scottish Government to achieve its stated aim of narrowing health - and broader societal (including economic) - inequalities within both the restrictions of limited devolved powers, and in the context of post-pandemic uncertainty. We do so by focussing on two questions: first, where were we with regards to inequalities policy in Scotland before the pandemic? And second, what are the likely implications of the pandemic for inequalities, and inequalities policymaking, in the country?

Keywords: Devolution; Inequalities; Policies; Scotland.