Information by Design
Lifestyle Survey Toolkit

Lifestyle surveys are often fairly wide-ranging in terms of content.  They cover, for example, the areas of diet and physical activity - areas which are often the responsibility of different people in the organisation, or possibly different agencies.  Given this, it is important to involve stakeholders in both the design and reporting stages of the survey.

In addition, other research points to the positive effect of partnership working.  The Wanless Report, (Securing Good Health for the Whole Population', Derek Wanless, 2004) concluded that "partnership working seems essential to improving the health of the population."  The evidence from those who have conducted health lifestyle surveys points to the many benefits to be gained from involving stakeholders. 

Involving stakeholders is important for other reasons:

• Wider involvement makes it easier for different agencies to accept (and own) the results, and to use the information collected
• Recommended change is more likely to be accepted
• Response to the survey may improve if supported by a wider range of stakeholders.

How do we involve stakeholders?

The first stages are to decide:

• Who are the stakeholders?
• Which agencies need to be represented?
• Why is it important to involve them?
• How might each contribute, both in terms of possible content and budget?
• Who are the most appropriate people within each organisation to act as the key contact? 
• What methods can be used - such as a Steering Group - to involve the representatives and to communicate with them?

When involving stakeholders, the key task is good organisation and communication.  Be clear about what is required of each stakeholder.