This document outlines a framework for developing a health improvement strategy, including three levels of development - aspirational, guidance, and operational. The aspirational level defines strategic aims. The guidance level describes broad work streams to achieve those aims. The operational level provides specific projects and activities within each work stream. The framework is intended to align existing approaches, ensure all necessary elements are included, and guide implementation from strategy to action.

1. What is a Health
Improvement Strategy?
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014
“A Strategy is an Action Plan with a
rationale”

2. Background
• This presentation is based on work we have done to help
develop Breed Health Improvement Strategies
• It provides a framework for strategy development
• The framework can be used to pull together existing
approaches and to help ensure they are aligned
• It gives examples of the elements required within a
comprehensive strategy
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

3. From Strategy to Action –
3 levels of development
Aspirational
• Why?
Guidance
• How?
Operational
• What?
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

4. 3 levels of development
1. Get clarity on the end-game by
defining the Strategic Aims and
success criteria (Why?)
2. Develop a way to achieve the
aims, by defining workable
routes to follow (How?)
3. Develop and implement action
plans that enable you to solve
specific problems on the way to
the aims, managed against clear
milestones (What?)
Why?
How?
What?
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

5. Level 1: Aspirational
• Start with what you want to achieve
• These are your strategic aims
• They are high-level
• They are not just about “health”
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

6. Example: Strategic Aims
• To improve the health of the breed
• improve the genetic diversity of the breed
• reduce the adverse impacts of conformational exaggeration on
breed health
• reduce the prevalence and severity of health issues affecting the
breed
• ensure the breed’s temperament is “fit for function”
• To improve the welfare of the breed
• improve husbandry (e.g. diet, exercise, breeding)
• To become the one-stop-shop for knowledge, information and
advice on the breed
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

7. Level 2: Guidance
• Describe the broad streams of work that are required in
order to achieve the Strategic Aims
• Collectively, these are necessary and sufficient to achieve
the Strategic Aims
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

8. Example: Strategic Direction
• Establish the leadership and organisation to drive and sustain
health improvement
• Collect, analyse and prioritise data on canine health and
welfare
• Identify the relevant stakeholders and facilitate their
collaboration on improvement activities
• Ensure adequate resources (people, knowledge and funds) are
available to support improvement
• Establish communication, education and training to support
improvement
• Establish feedback, reinforcement and recognition systems to
ensure continuous improvement
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

9. Level 3: Operational
• Describe the projects and activities that will be carried
out in each of the Guidance areas
• This is the specific work that will need to be done in
collaboration with relevant stakeholders
• Each activity will need to be owned, led and managed
• Each activity will need adequate resources and realistic
timescales
• Progress against each action will need to be tracked
• Actions will need to be updated in light of progress and
emerging evidence
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

10. Establish the
leadership and
organisation to
drive and sustain
health
improvement
Example activities
• Appoint a Breed Health Coordinator
• Appoint a Health Committee
• Appoint a Health Committee Chairman
• Agree Health Committee Terms of Reference
• Appoint “advisors” to the Health Committee (e.g. Vet,
Pet owners, Show/Working/Activity reps.)
• Develop and publish the Breed Health Strategy and
improvement plan
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

11. Collect, analyse
and prioritise
data on canine
health and
welfare
Example activities
• Develop Health Survey(s) (inc. Cause of Death)
• Analyse Health Survey(s)
• Identify Priorities from Survey(s), based on prevalence
and severity
• Publish Survey data
• Identify non-survey sources of data (e.g. VetCompass,
SAVSNET, published papers from journals)
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

12. Identify the
relevant
stakeholders and
facilitate their
collaboration on
improvement
activities
Example activities
• Identify and engage research partners (e.g. Vets,
Geneticists, BVA, RVC, Universities)
• Establish research projects to investigate health issues
and to develop solutions
• Publish the results of research projects
• Agree Recommendations and Requirements with the KC
for inclusion in the Assured Breeder Scheme and Breed
Code of Ethics
• Identify other breed-related welfare organisations (e.g.
Rescue)
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

13. Ensure adequate
resources
(people,
knowledge and
funds) are
available to
support
improvement
Example activities
• Establish a Health Fund
• Initiate fund-raising activities
• Develop a knowledgebase of breed information for
Health Committee (and partners)
• Establish a DNA Bank of samples with the AHT to aid
future research
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

14. Establish
communication,
education and
training to
support
improvement
Example activities
• Identify target audiences for communications, education
& training
• Develop and maintain a website with breed information
for owners/potential owners
• Develop and implement a Communications plan for:
• Social media
• Press
• Events (e.g. Discover Dogs)
• Develop and implement an education and training plan
with:
• Conferences, seminars, workshops
• Educational resources
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

15. Target audiences
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014
Audiences
Breed Club
Committees
Breed Club
members
Owners and
potential
owners
The Kennel
Club
Judges
Health and
genetics
specialists
The media
Campaigners
and lobby
groups

16. Establish
feedback,
reinforcement
and recognition
systems to
ensure
continuous
improvement
Example activities
• Establish a “helpline” for answering health and welfare
questions (e.g. via social media)
• Develop and implement an awards programme (e.g.
Gold, Silver, Bronze awards) to recognise participation
and achievements
• Publish an Annual Health Report to summarise progress
• Publish regular updates of progress and success stories
via social media, newsletters and websites
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014

17. A Strategy is not improvement
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014
● Improvement won’t “just happen”
● Achieving improvements and benefits depends on the results
of all the projects and activities within the strategy being
adopted by individuals (buyers, owners, breeders, vets etc.)
Our Dog-ED framework helps to make those connections...

18. Dog-ED connects Projects
with Benefits
Define
Projects
and
Processes
Create
Outputs
Establish
new
behaviours
Dogs
Benefit
Suppliers of potential
solutions
Users of potential
solutions
Collaboration
Generate
support

19. Define
Projects
and
Processes
Create
Outputs
Establish
new
behaviours
Dogs
Benefit
What is
being done
now, or
could be
done in the
future?
What
tangible
products will
the projects
and
processes
make
available?
Who will use
the outputs
and how will
they use
them?
How will
dogs’ lives,
or people’s
lives be
improved?
How do we
need to
collaborate
to ensure we
match
projects with
dogs’ needs?
Generate
support

20. Projects and processes
may be...
Define
Projects
and
Processes
Create
Outputs
Establish
new
behaviours
Dogs
Benefit
● Single individual
● Multiple individuals
● Single organisation
● Multi-organisation
Generate
support

21. Outputs may be...
Define
Projects
and
Processes
Create
Outputs
Establish
new
behaviours
Dogs
Benefit
● Legislation
● Education
● Training
● Publications
● Incentives
● Publicity
● Products
● Services
Generate
support

22. New behaviours may be
achieved by...
Define
Projects
and
Processes
Create
Outputs
Establish
new
behaviours
Dogs
Benefit
● Enthusing
● Educating
● Engineering
● Enforcement
Generate
support

23. Dogs can benefit by...
Define
Projects
and
Processes
Create
Outputs
Establish
new
behaviours
Dogs
Benefit
Improving any of the
Five Freedoms:
● Food & drink
● Environment
● Health
● Behaviour
● Treatment
Generate
support

24. CONTACT US:
Philippa Robinson 07850 232836 or e-mail philippa@dog-ed.org.uk
Ian Seath 07850 728506 or e-mail ian@dog-ed.org.uk
www.dog-ed.org.uk
©Dog-ED Ltd. 2014