STCA Foundations
STCA Consultation Report
The STCA has functioned and grown successfully since 2000. Before launching the STCA ASH Scotland undertook a full and comprehensive consultation exercise culminating in two reports. 'A National Tobacco Control Alliance' gives details of the consultation process and its outcomes, and 'The Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance' outlines the proposed structure and function of the STCA. A summary of the latter report is given below, and full copies of both are available from Jennifer Black.
Summary
The consultation explored the need for an alliance and the role(s) that it might hold. The consultation was carried out by ASH Scotland using a range of techniques based on Participatory Appraisal theory.
Following the consultation the desired roles for the Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance (STCA) were identified:
- to facilitate an increase of the knowledge base of the tobacco control sector in Scotland, and to act as a conduit for information within the sector.
- to enable all those involved with tackling tobacco in Scotland to inform and influence policy development and implementation, at both a national and regional level.
The STCA will have a wide membership, which will have a participative role in the direction and operation of the alliance. Alliance activity will be implemented via a central Co-ordinating Group.
The two major activities that the STCA will undertake are:
- Information exchange and networking
- including conferences, seminars, briefings and use of Information and Communication Technology.
- Multi-sectoral input to national planning bodies and policy making fora
- including policy development, informing and influencing of national responses to tobacco, and representation.
Membership will be open to those whose work is specifically tobacco control focused, or work with those vulnerable to tobacco, or have a generic remit that includes a specific tobacco focus.
Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance
ASH Scotland is about to launch the Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance, a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral network which will pull together a Scotland-wide response to the challenge which tobacco presents to Scotland's citizens.
The purpose of this document is to outline the form, function and nature of the Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance following extensive consultation in 2000.
The consultation explored the need for an alliance and the role(s) that it might hold. The consultation was carried out by ASH Scotland using a range of techniques based on Participatory Appraisal theory.
Following the consultation the desired roles for the Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance (STCA) were identified:
- to facilitate an increase of the knowledge base of the tobacco control sector in Scotland, and to act as a conduit for information within the sector.
- to enable all those involved with tackling tobacco in Scotland to inform and influence policy development and implementation, at both a national and regional level.
The STCA will have a wide membership, which will have a participative role in the direction and operation of the alliance. Alliance activity will be implemented via a central Co-ordinating Group .
The two major activities that the STCA will undertake are:
- Information exchange and networking
- including conferences, seminars, briefings and use of Information and Communication Technology.
- Multi-sectoral input to national planning bodies and policy making fora
- including policy development, informing and influencing of national responses to tobacco, and representation.
Membership will be open to those whose work is specifically tobacco control focused, or work with those vulnerable to tobacco, or have a generic remit that includes a specific tobacco focus.
Thanks go to all those who have participated in, and contributed to, the consultation process.
Helen Chambers
Alliance Co-ordinator
© ASH Scotland 2000
The use of tobacco is a major challenge to the health of Scotland's citizens. Every year 13,000 Scots die from tobacco related disease, with many more suffering from compromised health due to their, or other's, tobacco use. These issues have been tackled by various agencies over past decades, but until the publication of the White Paper 'Smoking Kills' there had been no national strategy to address tobacco and cessation needs within Scotland. The co-ordination of agencies involved in tobacco work has been minimal and quite ad-hoc in nature. In some regions of Scotland there are well established local alliances, but in other areas there are no links between agencies working on this topic. On a national level, the Scottish Tobacco Group has provided an opportunity for some practitioners to meet to share their experiences and developments in tobacco control, but in recent years it has not offered a strategic response to tobacco issues in Scotland.
In 1996 ASH Scotland and the Health Education Board for Scotland developed the resource 'Partnerships in Action - Working Towards a Smoke-Free Scotland', this publications met two aims, to document existing partnership work on tobacco in Scotland, and to provided a tool kit to encourage others to establish partnership. This report also takes into account 'Towards A Non-Smoking Scotland - A National strategy' published by HEBS in 1995, and the aims outlined therein.
With this background, and the implementation of 'Smoking Kills', various players within the tobacco control sector posed the question of a need for a national alliance. This idea was then developed and taken forward by ASH Scotland.
In order to ensure that all those within tobacco and health fields had an opportunity to have an input to the development of an alliance, ASH Scotland decided upon engaging in a wide raging consultation exercise. Following the appointment of an Alliance Co-ordinator the consultation was initiated.
It is often easy to mistake coherency and eloquence for the truth (as it may be) but it should be the role of any true consultation to operate in a way that enables all to establish the truth and real need. With this principle to the fore, a consultation process was designed and implemented by the Alliance Co-ordinator. This report forms an overview of the consultation process, and a model for the STCA and its strategic intent.
The consultation ran between Jan-Oct 2000 and involved over 50 individuals from organisations from all parts of Scotland, and all sectors (a list of participants is outlined in Appendix 1). When the consultation was designed it was recognised at an early stage that no one consultation model would provide either the depth, or range required to reflect the complexities of the tobacco, and related fields, in Scotland. It was also decided that the consultation should seek to actively engage respondents with the process rather than rely on a proposal drafted by a small steering group and sent out for written consultation. It was felt that it was important that those who would be participants in the eventual body felt an ownership of the development process. To meet these principles the consultation methodology was developed utilising a participatory appraisal approach,, with five main strands
- Workshops
- Interviews with key players from the North of Scotland and Islands
- Interviews with key players in other health fora
- A mapping exercise focusing on local tobacco alliances
- A final written consultation sent out to a wide range of bodies with a remit for tobacco
A detailed methodology is provided in the report 'National Tobacco Control Alliance Consultation'
The outcomes of the all elements of the consultation have been combined and have formed the basis for the development of this document, and structure and activity of the Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance.
The Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance - An Overview
Taking forward the outcomes of the consultation process, the following sections outline the function, form and nature of the Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance
Activity
The STCA will operate in two main areas, policy development and the encouragement of policy implementation, and information exchange.
There are now a number of strategic bodies operational within Scotland (and on a UK, European and global level) that currently hold limited contact with the full tobacco control sector. One of the roles of the STCA will be to inform and influence policy-developing bodies. There is a range of groups upon which this activity will be focused. These include the Scottish Tobacco Control White Paper Implementation Strategy Group, the Public Health Policy Unit at the Scottish Executive, the Scottish Parliament's Health Committee, the Cross Party Group on Tobacco Control, the Public Health Institute and various umbrella, and topic specific, organisations (VHS, SCCOT, Scotland CAN!). The STCA will also act as a bridge between its members and these bodies.
As can be seen from the list above, policy on tobacco issues within Scotland is developed in a number of arenas. It will be the STCA's role to provide information to those groups on issues at grass roots and regional levels, and to seek to provide suggestions for solutions to these policy bodies. It will also be important for the STCA not to duplicate the work of other organisations providing policy development in Scotland.
It is acknowledged that policy development for the STCA itself may not be an easy process, and in many instances, not an appropriate response to a situation. It thus may often fall the STCA to act as a facilitator of others to make policy responses to developments; rather than undertake activity that duplicates other organisations' and groups' work and which may snarl up Alliance activity in long, cumbersome, and unfruitful labours.
Another major role for the STCA and its members will be for it to encourage, and find mechanisms for, the implementation of policy developed. In this way the Alliance will hold a key position in moving forward Scotland's response to tobacco.
Many organisations and workers that hold a full or part remit to tackle tobacco within Scotland and its communities are currently isolated in this field. There is also a level of disconnection of current policy making groups and operational issues. One of the major roles of the STCA will be to bridges these gaps, enabling both horizontal information exchange (i.e. within the membership group) and vertically (to external bodies).
In order to increase the knowledge base around tobacco in Scotland, and to facilitate the movement of information a number of methods are available. These include:
- e-mail information bulletins
- briefings and briefing papers
- seminars
- conferences
Again it will be important that these are complimentary to work already in existence, rather than providing duplication. It is foreseen that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) will have a large role to play in the information exchange process, but the STCA will ensure that it does not exclude participants that do not readily have access to ICT, and will develop mechanisms to ensure that information provision is an inclusive process.
Most of the activity surrounding the development of information exchange mechanisms will be undertaken by the Alliance Co-ordinator, but it is hoped that some of the activity will, over time, become self-sustaining by Alliance members through inter-acting outwith Alliance settings, and via spin-off activities.
The STCA will operate from within ASH Scotland forming part of the organisation's core activities. ASH Scotland is a key player within the tobacco control sector (its major activities are outlined within Appendix 2), and has dedicated significant resources and effort in the past five years to establish a tobacco control alliance in Scotland. The organisation holds a high level of experience in policy development and implementation, and it will benefit the new Alliance immensely to be located in this environment, with the support that this will bring.
The structure of the Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance is illustrated in Figure 1.
Fig 1. Alliance Structure and Activity
(click for full-size image, use the 'Back' button to return to this page).
Following examination of the desired strategic nature and behaviour of the alliance, combined with information from key players in other fora, a suggested membership structure of the alliance is outlined below.
Organisational
Organisations which:
- are specifically tobacco control focused or,
- work with those vulnerable to tobacco or,
- have a generic remit that includes a specific tobacco focus.
will be eligible as members, and to send one representative to meetings.
[e.g. Fast Forward, West Lothian Drug & Alcohol Service, HEBS]
Separate departments within Health Trusts and Boards, and academic departments, will be regarded as an organisation for membership purposes
Umbrella organisations/ groupings
Umbrella organisations whose membership includes organisations which:
- are specifically tobacco control focused or,
- work with those vulnerable to tobacco or,
- have a generic remit that includes a specific tobacco focus.
Will be eligible as members, and to send one representative to meetings.
[e.g. British Medical Association, Convention of Scottish local Authorities, Scottish Trades Union Congress, the Royal Colleges, Voluntary Health Scotland, Poverty Alliance, Association of Directors of Social Work, Health Promotion Manager's Group etc.]
Local tobacco control alliances
Local tobacco control alliances will be eligible as members, and to send one representative to meetings.
[e.g. Grampian Tobacco Alliance]
Individual membership
There will be no membership for individuals.
Private sector
Organisations located in the private sector may apply for Associate Member status. This will enable them to participate in the information provision and networking of the alliance, but not in its strategic planning nor its policy formation. Any application will be verified by the Co-ordinating Group.
[ e.g. Consultancies, Lobbying & PR sector]
Involvement of the tobacco industry.
No organisation linked to the tobacco industry will be allowed membership. All organisations, on application, will sign a statement to the effect that they, or any individual that they chose to represent them, do not have any connection with the tobacco industry, or its representatives. Any query on this will be judged by the Co-ordinating Group.
In some sectors a large numbers of professionals will be eligible for membership (e.g. the health sector). It will be for individuals to decide whether they wish to attend in person, or whether they may be adequately represented and informed via the attendance of a representative of an umbrella body. It may be that this decision changes from occasion to occasion, depending on the focus of the meeting.
It is also noted that depending on the particular topic of an STCA meeting different levels of representation may be required. For example, different personnel would required for the discussion of cessation practice compared with those who would be needed to sign up to a policy stance for the STCA.
It will form a key aim of the STCA to expand its membership to those who have traditionally not taken a role regarding tobacco, but are involved in dealing with the consequences of tobacco use in Scotland.
It is not deemed appropriate for members of the public to hold membership the STCA.
Although there will be no individual membership of the STCA, the Alliance will be open to co-opt individuals on a time limited basis to fulfill specific functions. This co-option will be at the Co-ordinating Group's discretion.
The strategic planning for the STCA will be undertaken by the membership and Co-ordinating Group, facilitated by the Alliance Co-ordinator, on an annual basis. This will then be translated into an operational plan, which includes implementation, audit and evaluation, which will be fed back to the membership. It is suggested that the model used for this is one based on Hogwood & Gunn's work.
- Deciding to decide
- Deciding how to decide
- Issue definition
- Forecasting
- Setting Objectives and priorities
- Options analysis
- Policy implementation, monitoring and control
- Evaluation and review
- Policy maintenance, succession and termination.
Ongoing review of work between annual planning sessions will be carried out by the Co-ordinating Group in partnership with ASH Scotland's CEO.
It is intended that the membership will participate to a high degree in strategic and operational planning for the STCA, with an acknowledgement that the Co-ordinating Group will act on behalf of the membership when required. This intention will carry with it a responsibility for members to engage with the STCA and undertake activity as part of their membership function.
Evaluation will be a key principle of the STCA. All aspects of its work will be evaluated as a core component of any work plan. At various points the activity of the STCA will be evaluated by ASH Scotland as part of the organisation's operational plan. On occasion, extra funding may be sought to bring in evaluation of the Alliance by an external body.
The operational plan will be implemented by the Alliance Co-ordinator in partnership with the Co-ordinating Group and the membership, via line management from the CEO of ASH Scotland.
Co-ordinating Group Composition
The Co-ordinating Group (CG) will comprise of 8 members elected annually at the AGM. In order to supply continuity it is suggested that Co-ordinating Group members are elected for a period of 2 years with 50% of the Co-ordinating Group being renewed each year (the implementation of this will have to be initially staggered). The CEO of ASH Scotland will be a standing member of the Co-ordinating Group. The Chair of the Co-ordinating Group will be elected from within the Group in order that the Co-ordinating Group has ownership of this role. In order to address concerns that the Group might become overly Central Belt focused, 2 places will be reserved for those who work directly with, or represent, localities that can be described as rural or island based. Election to the Group will using transferable vote systems undertaken in accordance with Electoral Reform Society guidelines.
Working Groups and Sector Groups
It is anticipated that in response to policy issues the Co-ordinating Group will, on occasion, convene topic based, time limited working groups. These groups may co-opt external personnel for the duration of the working group and would work in partnership with members (and other organisations) that hold expertise in the particular topic focussed upon. It is also anticipated that the STCA will convene groups based on sector activities in order to inform the Alliance and to enable information exchange within fields, for example, smoking cessation practitioners or researchers.
As the tobacco field in Scotland is so diverse it will be necessary to ensure a range of activity by the STCA in order to provide value to its membership. As part of this, it is recommended that as an adjunct to its business meetings the STCA provides short seminars on a spread of topics. It is proposed that the STCA holds 4 meetings per year (including its AGM) and each one is prefaced by a seminar session. The Co-ordinating Group will also meet outwith these times at a cycle suitable to its members and ASH Scotland. The STCA will make full use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to increase access to the alliance and its activities. It will respect the fact that a number of organisations are not as developed as others with regard to access to technology and will seek not to exclude these organisations due to use of ICT.
ASH Scotland is extremely proud of the role it has had in the formation of the STCA, and will continue to have in its implementation, as it believes that the Alliance will play a significant role in moving forward Scotland's response to tobacco. The STCA's funding is part of ASH Scotland's core budget, and the responsibility for the execution of much of the STCA's operational plan will lie with ASH Scotland staff. This situation may at times lie uneasily with member organisations, but it will be for them to balance the usefulness and impact of the existence of the STCA with any tensions they may hold with it residing in an organisation with a long standing history of tobacco control advocacy.
To a certain extent there has been a vacuum in policy responses to tobacco issues on a multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary, national basis. In recent years ASH Scotland has taken a leadership role and has moved to fill this gap with the initiation of a number of topic focused groupings including SCCOT and Scotland CAN!. Now, with STCA, there is an opportunity to develop and sustain a strong, multi-sectoral policy response from the tobacco sector in Scotland acknowledging that there is plenty to attain within this field without the need to duplicate existent activity.
Conflict avoidance and resolution
One of the key reasons that alliance/networking organisations struggle, or even fail, is conflict between major players. This often arises when organisations operate within each other's specialist fields (domain conflict). This can occur between member organisations, or between individual organisations and the alliance itself.
It is important to recognise conflict (and also its productivity), as it can often be diminished or dissipated by its acknowledgement. An important tool for any proposed alliance, to both lessen the opportunity for conflict and to aid its resolution, is the use of rational, participative and transparent planning and reporting systems. If members own, participate in, and understand, planning mechanisms, then confusion and conflict over policy direction and implementation are much less likely. If, and when, discord does arise within the STCA it will depend on the maturity and vision of member organisations in keeping a focus upon creating and maintaining a positive, dynamic and useful organisation, rather than descending into rivalry and conflict.
Callum, C. 1998 The UK Smoking Epidemic: deaths in 1995. London: Health Education Authority.
Chambers, H.L. 2000 National Tobacco Control Alliance Consultation. ASH Scotland.
Cornwall, A., Jewkes, R., 1995 What is Participatory Research? Soc. Sci. Med. 41 (12) pp 1667-1676
Duffy, S. 1996 Partnerships In Action: Working Towards A Smoke-Free Scotland Health Education Board for Scotland
Hogwood, B.W. & Gunn, L.A. 1984 Policy Analysis for the Real World, London: Oxford University Press
Hudson, B. 1989 Collaboration: The Elusive Chimera Health Service Journal 19 Jan p 82-83
Markwell, S. 1995 Exploring Conflict Theory Within Health Alliances, Conference Proceedings: Healthy Alliances in Theory and Practice. Bath: Bath College of Higher Education
Pretty, J., Guijt, A., Scoones, I., Thompson, J. 1995 Trainer's Guide for Participatory Learning and Action, IIED, London
Smoking Kills 1998 Secretary of State for Health & Secretaries of Sate for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland London: The Stationery Office
Towards a No Smoking Scotland - A National Strategy 1995 Health Education Board for Scotland
The Alliances Project would like to thank the following for their participation in one, or more, elements of the consultation - workshops, interviews and/or written submissions.
|
N. Steed |
Assistant Director |
Aberdeen City Council (Consumer Protection) |
|
Anne Bryce |
Tobacco Co-ordinator |
Argyll & Clyde Health Board |
|
Maureen Moore |
Chief Executive |
ASH Scotland |
|
Prof. William Turmeau |
Director |
ASH Scotland |
|
Barbara Nettleton |
Senior Health Promotion Officer |
Borders Health Promotion |
|
Iain Lowis |
Director |
British Heart Foundation |
|
Prof. Gerard Hastings |
Director |
Centre for Tobacco Control Research, Strathclyde University |
|
Jo Bennett |
Director of Advice and Support |
Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland |
|
Rose Kirk |
Senior Health Promotion Officer |
Fife Primary Care Trust Health Promotion |
|
John Taylor |
Assistant Health Promotion Manager |
Fife Primary Care Trust Health Promotion |
|
Ann McLaughlin |
Health Promotion Officer |
Forth Valley Health Promotion |
|
David Pattison |
Health Promotions Manager |
Forth Valley Health Promotion |
|
Prof. Linda McKie |
Research Professor in Sociology |
Glasgow Caledonian University |
|
Dr Susan McPhee |
Chair |
Grampian ASH |
|
Dr Christine Bond |
Consultant in Pharmaceutical Public Health |
Grampian Health Board |
|
Gillian Lee |
Health Promotions Specialist - Tobacco |
Grampian Health Board, Health Promotions |
|
Sally Haw |
Research Specialist |
Health Education Board for Scotland |
|
Fiona Clarke |
Heart Health Promotion Officer |
Highland Health Board |
|
Dorothy C Moir |
Director of Public Health |
Lanarkshire Health Board, Dept. of Public Health |
|
Gabe Docherty |
Health Promotions Manager |
Lanarkshire Health Promotion |
|
Anne McEwan |
Director of Health Promotion |
Lothian Health Promotion |
|
Fiona Moore |
Smoking Cessation Co-ordinator |
Lothian Health Promotion Department |
|
Jane Riddell |
Health Promotion Officer |
Lothian Health Promotion Department |
|
Marjory O'Donnell |
Scottish Director |
National Asthma Campaign |
|
Doreen McIntyre |
Director |
No Smoking Day |
|
John Curnow |
Director of Public Health |
Orkney Health Board |
|
Mary-Anne Crooks |
Health Promotion Specialist |
Orkney Health Promotion Dept. |
|
Dr Odette Parry |
Research Fellow |
Research Unit in Health & Behavioural Change, University of Edinburgh |
|
Dr Jesme Baird |
Director of Patient Care |
Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation |
|
James F Kennedy |
Scottish Board Secretary |
Royal College of Nursing |
|
J B C Dick |
Fellow and Assistant Secretary |
Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh |
|
Prof. Keith Fox |
Professor of Cardiology |
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Dept of Cardiology |
|
Elizabeth Roddick |
Community Pharmacist |
Royal Pharmaceutical Society Scotland |
|
Bill Gray |
National Project Officer |
Scottish Community Diet Project |
|
Stephen Maxwell |
Assistant Director |
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations |
|
Dave Liddell |
Director |
Scottish Drugs Forum |
|
Tanith Muller |
Health Researcher |
Scottish Liberal Democrats (representing Margaret Smith MSP, Chair of Health Committee) |
|
Joy Barlow |
Chair |
Scottish Voluntary HIV/AIDS Forum |
|
Penny Millsop |
Health Promotion Specialist - Primary Care & Nutrition |
Shetland Health Promotion |
|
Fiona Campbell |
Co-ordinator |
Smoking Concerns |
|
Jim Matthew |
Secretary/Treasurer |
Society Of Chief Officers Trading Standards in Scotland |
|
Helena Connelly |
Smoking Cessation Nurse |
St. John's Hospital, West Lothian |
|
Dr Zelda Mathewson |
Consultant in Public Health Medicine |
Tayside Health Board, Dept of Public Health |
|
Prof. James Friend |
Consultant in Thoracic Medicine |
The City Hospital, Aberdeen |
|
Patricia Purton |
Director |
The Royal College of Midwives Scottish Board |
|
Dr K.R Paterson |
Deputy Honorary Secretary |
The Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Glasgow |
|
Dr Amanda Amos |
Senior Lecturer in HealthPromotion |
University of Edinburgh, Department of Public Health Science |
|
David Kelly |
Corporate Manager |
West Lothian Council |
|
Maggie Murray |
Drug Development Officer |
West Lothian Council DAT |
|
Margot Ferguson |
Manager |
West Lothian Drug & Alcohol Service |
|
Bob Burnett |
Alcohol & Drug Use Co-ordinator |
West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust |
|
John Jack |
Director of Operations |
West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust |
|
Brian Pringle |
Tobacco Issues Worker |
West Lothian Tobacco Issues Group |
|
Tina MacDonald |
Senior Health Promotion Officer |
Western Isles Health Promotion Dept. |
Appendix 2 Organisational Summary: ASH Scotland
ASH Scotland is the leading voluntary sector organisation in Scotland tackling the challenges of tobacco. Established over 25 years ago the organisation holds a wealth of experience and knowledge of tobacco issues and the challenges that they present to Scotland's communities. ASH Scotland's funding for core activities is provided by the Scottish Executive with income for project based activity sourced from statutory, voluntary and private sectors.
The organisation's activities currently fall into four main themes, each with a lead member of staff. Its Chief Executive provides strategic direction to the organisation and plays a key role in many of Scotland's health arenas, including the Tobacco White paper Implementation Strategy Group.
Press and Campaigns
Since the inauguration of the Scottish Parliament this area of work has become has become increasingly focused on parliamentary lobbying and liaison work alongside policy development and press activity.
ASH Scotland has been actively involved in the establishment of a Cross Party Group on Tobacco Control whose aim is to take forward an effective tobacco control agenda and to monitor the implementation of the White Paper on tobacco, Smoking Kills, in Scotland. The organisation also continues to work closely with individual Scottish MPs and MEPs in order to influence policy at UK and European level and to support their work on tobacco control.
In the last year ASH Scotland has taken a lead role in establishing two campaigning partnerships, the Scottish Cancer Coalition on Tobacco [SCCOT] and Scotland CAN (Cleaner Air Now!). Both of these play key parts in informing parliamentarians and the general public on tobacco issues, respectively.
Tobacco and Inequalities
The Tobacco and Inequalities Project is operating over a three year period and aims to support the development of community based services to reduce the levels of smoking among those living on low income. It also focuses on developing evaluation approaches relevant to those working on tobacco-based community work and to support national, regional and local initiatives developed in response to Scottish Executive strategies on tobacco control.
The project is currently working with Glasgow Caledonian University on a piece of research to investigate the perceptions and experiences of black and minority ethic adults in relationship to tobacco. This work will inform strategies developed to support minority ethnic communities with regard to tobacco use.
Information and Resources
The Information Service provides expert advice and information on all aspects of tobacco policy to a wide range of sectors, organisations and individuals. As well as producing regular briefings on major topic areas, the Information Service holds a unique tobacco related database and key tobacco text, reports and government documents. In the past year the service has compiled a directory of stop smoking services in Scotland which provides an overview of nation-wide provision. An electronic version of this is regularly updated by ASH Scotland and Smokeline to ensure that information held is up-to date and easily accessible. The Information Service also holds responsibility for developing and supporting ASH Scotland's web site.
Alliances
One of the main tasks of the Alliances Project is to establish and maintain the Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance, but it also functions on a wider level. The Co-ordinator is charged with increasing the engagement with tobacco of a number of fields and bodies that have not traditionally operated within this field. The Project will also be developing mechanisms to circulate pertinent information on tobacco amongst all sectors in Scotland, presented in a manner accessible to its audience. This will be in a variety of ways, including the use of Information and Communications Technologies, and through the routes of conferences and seminars. Another key role of the Alliance Co-ordinator is to seek and develop partnerships within Scotland's tobacco control sector to initiate work that fills gaps within Scotland's strategic response to tobacco issues.
Policy Development, Briefing Papers and Expert Working Groups
ASH Scotland calls upon all of its staff team and resources to develop policy and briefing papers in response to developments in tobacco use in Scotland. Policy documents and briefing papers are normally developed in partnership with other experts on each specific topic, through the establishment of Expert Working Groups. These materials are then disseminated to the appropriate bodies and individuals, and form the tools for lobbying and campaigning activities. A full list of the organisation's policy documents is available on the organisations web site [www.ashscotland.org.uk].