Good practice guidance for pilot projects: lessons learned from partnership action on tobacco and health and ASH Scotland’s tobacco and inequalities initiatives pilot work

Author and presenter:
Linda Bates
Project Officer (Partnership Action on Tobacco and Health), ASH Scotland, Edinburgh, UK

Abstract
A new ‘Good practice Guide’ has been launched in Scotland for the set-up and delivery of pilot work, which is based on the learning from ASH Scotland’s Tobacco and Inequalities (TandI) Small Grants Fund (2005 – 2007) and the PATH Support Fund (2004 – 2007).

These two funds provided opportunities for funders, researchers, NHS boards, local authorities and the voluntary sector to develop new and innovative ways of engaging with groups of smokers, to better understand their health and support needs and to develop stop-smoking services to increase engagement and access to services. The subsequent projects paved the way for further research and development, and in some cases provided a template for other services to use. We therefore hope to share the lessons and successes gathered from these pilots to inspire others in the planning of similar pieces of work.

Targeted at a wide range of end users in the voluntary and healthcare sector (funders, service managers, staff etc.) the ‘Good Practice Guide’ covers a number of areas that should be considered at planning, delivery and exit strategy stages. The resource also highlights the potential challenges and presents solutions to the many obstacles faced throughout the lifetime of any new project work.

Source of funding: PATH Support Fund (Scottish Government) and Tobacco and Inequalities Small Grants Fund (NHS Health Scotland
and Scottish Government)

Declaration of interest: none