Scotland at a Crossroads: Prevention, Investment & Social Impact
📅** Date**: Thursday, 16th October �� Time: 1pm (UK) 📺 Watch Live:[ | YouTube
Scotland stands at a pivotal moment. Rising pressures on public services, widening inequalities, and the urgent need for resilience demand a new approach—one that shifts the focus from reacting to crises toward **prevention-first strategies **that improve lives and deliver smarter economics.
This LinkedIn Live event brings together leading voices to explore how investment in prevention can transform Scotland’s future, reduce long-term costs, and generate measurable social impact.
🎙️ Speakers
Host: Gareth Presch (World Health Innovation Summit – WHIS) Guests:
- Prof. Niven Rennie – Social Impact Scotland
- Gerry Hamill – Social Impact Scotland
- Lorraine Gillies – Social Impact Scotland
- Lee Whitehead – Smart Social
🗂️ Agenda Highlights
Welcome & Context – Gareth Presch introduces the session and frames Scotland’s crossroads moment, referencing the new white paper A Public Health Approach to Reducing Crime and Violence: Investing in the UK’s Children and Communities (Presch, Rennie, Whitehead, 2025).
Panel Discussion – Exploring the intersection of prevention, investment, and social impact:
- Prof. Niven Rennie – Lessons from Scotland’s Violence Reduction Unit: reframing crime and violence as public health challenges.
- Gerry Hamill – Why investment in communities and children is vital for reducing long-term costs.
- Lorraine Gillies – Opportunities for Scotland to lead globally on prevention-first policies.
- Lee Whitehead – Measuring and scaling social impact through Smart Social and outcome-based finance models (e.g. Social Outcome Contracts, Social Impact Bonds).
Q&A – Audience engagement and practical examples from the panel.
Closing Reflections – Key takeaways and opportunities for collaboration across government, third sector, and communities.
📌 Why This Matters
The discussion builds on the insights of the white paper, which highlights:
- Violence as a public health issue – The Scottish VRU reduced Glasgow homicides by 46% in a decade by addressing root causes.
- Early years prevention – Investing in children delivers a high social return: every £1 spent can save £9 in later costs.
- Impact measurement – Smart Social’s frameworks ensure transparency and accountability in evaluating programmes.
- Innovative finance – Social Outcome Contracts unlock private investment for preventative services, with government paying only if outcomes are delivered.
🔑 Key Themes
- Prevention as the cornerstone of health and economic policy
- Strategic investment in innovation, communities, and climate resilience
- Measuring and scaling social impact for long-term prosperity
💡 Join the conversation
This is more than a webinar—it’s an opportunity to shape Scotland’s future. 👉 Tune in live o[n YouTube
“Prevention is not just better than cure—it is smarter economics.”
Email: gareth@whis.world