The Committee of the Faculty of Public Health in Scotland (CFPHS) has published a call to action for a healthier, fairer and more productive Scotland ahead of the May 2026 Scottish Parliamentary election.
Recognising public health as critical to bolstering economic productivity and ensuring the sustainability of Scotland’s health and care services, this publication calls on all political parties in Scotland to support policies which give people the best chance at a long, fulfilling, and healthy life.
This is a critical time for Scotland’s health, with stalling life expectancy and widening health inequalities leading to vulnerable populations in Scotland experiencing increasingly poor health outcomes.
The Call to Action makes several recommendations including;
- Ensure health in all polices
- Create a wellbeing economy
- Promote the best possible start to life for all
- Improve our places and communities
- Safeguard our climate and environment
- Tackle the commercial determinants of health
- Shift resources toward prevention
People in Scotland have the fundamental human right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, and the Scottish Parliament has the power to reverse Scotland’s declining health by shaping public health policies, advocating for health initiatives, and allocating resources to improve population health.
