National objectives, local policymaking: public health efforts to translate national legislation into local policy in Scottish alcohol licensing

Background: Policymaking environments are multi-centric by necessity and design. Alcohol premises licensing is governed Scottish legislation, which also allows for local autonomy. Aims objectives: To describe the obstacles faced public health actors in seeking to influence alcohol system Scotland as an example of advocacy efforts policymaking. Methods: Snowball sampling identified recruited 12 who were actively licensing, along with a national key informant. In-depth interviews (n=13) discussed challenges experienced perceptions best strategies success. Interviews (69m average) audio-recorded, transcribed, analysed using inductive framework approach. Findings: Most interviewees operated arenas, influencing legislation only through intermediaries. Challenges engagement included: unfamiliar conventions, stakeholders decision-making cultures, resources, data gaps, boards’ prioritisation economic growth. Their preferred solution was strengthening constrain autonomy, but they adapted their faced. Discussion conclusion: The adoption particular objective government (a licensing) may not remove need effective system. Local policymakers have own processes views on evidence, successful involve diverse relationship building over time. Practitioners advocating policy change benefit from better understanding prior research how bring about such change; scholars could engage this audience.