New systems maps have been launched by SPHR researchers and practice collaborators to help local authorities address inequalities in harms that develop from the night-time economy.
We know that harms from alcohol and gambling are unequal in different places. Many stakeholders in local night-time economies want to influence commercial activities that impact these unequal harms to health. The SPHR project ‘Addressing health inequalities in the night-time economy’ has explored this in more detail.
As part of this project, researchers worked with stakeholders in Derby and Swindon to produce systems maps to show how harms develop unequally, helping to identify where and how to intervene.
Dr Katie Powell, lead researcher on the project says:
“Systems mapping underpins many public health attempts to reduce inequalities but often without much focus on the power that many groups exert over others. Our project harnessed practitioners’ knowledge of local power dynamics to produce systems maps showing how inequalities develop in the night-time economy. The maps can be used by people working in any area in England to identify opportunities to challenge powerful organisations and other groups who influence the allocation of resources and development of narratives that shape harm.”
What are systems maps?
Systems maps are based on systems thinking – which encourages us to think about how different individuals, populations, organisations and sectors relate to one another. Systems mapping helps us to understand all the parts of a whole system – and how they relate and interact with each other. Using these maps, we can communicate understanding and develop interventions, innovations or policy decisions that will ultimately change the system in a positive way.
How should the systems maps be used?
The maps have been developed with Derby and Swindon, however a lot of the information will be relevant for local authorities and can be adapted to different local contexts. You might use the maps to help:
- identify and address gaps in knowledge or local data
- inform and implement local strategies
- assess priorities for reducing harm
- design interventions
- plan evaluations of interventions
How are local authorities using the maps?
The maps have been used by members of the Community Safety Partnership in Swindon in a series of workshops. They used the maps to assess how planned actions in their Community Safety Partnership strategy address the drivers of unequal harm in their area. This work helped to identify linked drivers of harm, which stakeholders to involve and how people might evidence change relating to drivers of inequality.
A member of the Safety Partnership said:
“The map provides additional contextual information about the night-time economy in Swindon. Understanding the sources of power being used in relation to safety, crime and antisocial behaviour is interesting – there are a lot of state resources in there, but then when you look at gambling and alcohol, the powers driving this are largely focused on economic pressures and cultural resources.
The night-time economy and violence against women and girls (VAWG) are important priorities across the Community Safety Partnership. This map can help us to understand the relationships between the two.
The map can also help us to think about what could be done differently as it’s another way of thinking about problem solving as a whole system. For example, it might make us think about whether using state resources is making an impact and what alternative approaches we could use to target the root causes of local issues.”
This work builds upon previous systems maps produced to map child health systems at a local level and reduce health inequalities.
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of the National Learning Partnership, our 53 stakeholders from public health, licensing and planning roles across national and local government and the community and voluntary sector. In particular, we thank: Saima Nazir-Desforges, City of Doncaster Council: :saima.nazir-desforges@doncaster.gov.uk and Magdalena Opazo Breton, University of Nottingham: magdalena.opazo@nottingham.ac.uk’. John Wilcox, Wakefield Council: johnwilcox@wakefield.gov.uk
Who’s involved: University of Sheffield, LSTHM, University of Bristol
“The maps can be used by people working in any area in England to identify opportunities to challenge powerful organisations and other groups who influence the allocation of resources and development of narratives that shape harm.”
Dr Katie Powell