Dr Alexandra Wright was supported to undertake her PhD – ‘Exploring evidence-based policy implementation: a case of alcohol policy in Scotland’ – by What Works Scotland.
Her areas of research interest are health policy, policy implementation, health systems research, public policy, knowledge exchange, evidence and alcohol policy.
What Works Scotland publications
Local Alcohol Policy Implementation in Scotland: Understanding the role of of accountability within licensing
This article is based on the research Alex Wright carried out when undertaking her PhD. It explores how alcohol policy is implemented locally in Scotland. Scotland has been ambitious in its policy and legislative efforts to tackle alcohol-related harm, efforts which include the innovative feature of a ‘public health objective’ within local alcohol licensing. However alcohol-related harms and inequalities persist. She argues that there is a lack of accountability mechanisms acting upon Scottish Licensing Boards to ensure they contribute to the public health goals of the Scottish alcohol strategy.
Read the article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (open access) (June 2019)
- What’s so important about health policy implementation? (September 2017) This briefing was written by Alex during an Academic Fellowship with SPICe (Scottish Parliament Information Centre). The briefing reviews evidence about how health policy is implemented. Whilst the briefing focuses on alcohol policy, it may be useful for a wider range of health and public policy areas.
- Policy lessons from health taxes: a systematic review of empirical studies (June 2017) – Co-authored
- Scaling-up Innovations (June 2015) – Co-authored
- Getting evidence into action to improve Scotland’s public services (February 2015) – Co-authored
Contact Alexandra
See more about Alexandra and her work on the University of Edinburgh School of Social and Political Science website
