From Wicked Problems to Wicked Solutions: An Investigation of the Partnership Approach To Delivering Public Health and Adapting to the Pandemic

In the field of Public Health, Partnership Working aims to enhance policymaking in order to improve the health and wellbeing of a population and reduce health inequalities. This is reflected in Welsh Government’s establishment of Boards such as the Public Services Boards and Regional Partnership Boards as embedded in the Wellbeing of Future Generations (2015) and the Social Services and Wellbeing Act (2014). These Boards not only demonstrate the Welsh Government’s focus on the importance of the health and wellbeing of the population but also aim to engender a sense of national belonging. However, as policy literature demonstrates, there are barriers that can hinder the effectiveness of partnership working. This thesis is made up of two major components. The first is an investigation into the delivery of Health and Wellbeing Goals via Partnership Working, with a particular focus on Public Services Boards (PSBs) in South Wales. This first study uses one-to-one interviews to identify the various views of members of the Public Services Board surrounding the definition and understanding of the concept of Partnership Working. It distinguishes the existing Partnership Working relationships within the PSBs and thus identifies the main existing perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to effective Partnership Working practice within the PSBs. The second major component to this thesis intends to build upon the results of the first study by utilising the unprecedented event of COVID-19 as a case study of how a global crisis can put a strain on Partnership Working practices and service delivery. However, this section of the thesis also intends to examine whether an event such as COVID-19 can in fact bring unintentional opportunities for the Boards to re-evaluate their practices and priorities and to ultimately make improvements to the delivery of services in their communities. In its conclusion this thesis makes recommendations based on the learning brought forth from the pandemic and the ways in which this learning can be maintained