Part 4: Phase One and Phase Two
Strand 2: Conceptualising a Whole Systems Approach
Video
Learning Objectives
After watching this section, you should be able to:
- Describe the purpose and key steps of Phase One (establishing the foundations)
- Describe the purpose and key steps of Phase Two (understanding the context)
- Explain why organisational commitment across multiple departments is essential before system change can begin
Key Points
- Phase One is about establishing the governance structures and support needed to implement the approach: engaging senior leaders, forming a core working team, and securing resources
- System change cannot be initiated alone — a supportive environment and organisational commitment of time, staff, and space are crucial
- This commitment must come not just from public health but from other departments who must actively engage in a meaningful way
- Phase Two involves gathering all the information needed to understand the local picture of obesity: its impact, relevant organisations, community assets, and existing actions
- Collating this information into a useful format requires considerable effort but is the foundation for everything that follows
Further Reading
- Whole systems approach to obesity: a guide to support local approaches (Public Health England / Leeds Beckett, 2019) — the full PHE guide detailing all six phases of the whole systems approach, including the setup and mapping phases covered in this video
- Human Learning Systems — a complementary framework for the relational and co-production elements of early WSA phases; useful for understanding how to engage stakeholders and communities in ways that go beyond consultation
Knowledge Check
Complete the questions below before moving on.
What is the primary aim of Phase One in the whole systems approach to obesity?
The correct answer is To establish the governance structures and support required to effectively implement the approach. Phase One is described as being about the foundations that need to be in place before system change can begin. Its aim is to establish governance structures and the organisational support — including senior leadership engagement, a core working team, and committed resources — required to effectively implement the approach.
- False — action planning is the focus of Phase Four.
- True
- False — evaluating existing interventions forms part of Phase Two’s context-gathering, not the primary aim of Phase One.
- False — stakeholder mapping is more central to Phase Two (understanding context).