title: An evaluation of the Public Health Responsibility Deal: Informants' experiences and views of the development, implementation and achievements of a pledge-based, public-private partnership to improve population health in England.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Coalition Government's Public Health Responsibility Deal (RD) was launched in England in 2011 as a public-private partnership designed to improve public health in the areas of food, alcohol, health at work and physical activity. As part of a larger evaluation, we explored informants' experiences and views about the RD's development, implementation and achievements.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted 44 semi-structured interviews with 50 interviewees, purposively sampled from: RD partners (businesses, public sector and non-governmental organisations); individuals with formal roles in implementing the RD; and non-partners and former partners. Data were analysed thematically: NVivo (10) software was employed to manage the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Key motivations underpinning participation were corporate social responsibility and reputational enhancement. Being a partner often involved making pledges related to work already underway or planned before joining the RD, suggesting limited 'added value' from the RD, although some pledge achievements (e.g., food reformulation) were described. Benefits included access to government, while drawbacks included resource implications and the risk of an 'uneven playing field' between partners and non-partners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To ensure that voluntary agreements like the RD produce gains to public health that would not otherwise have occurred, government needs to: increase participation and compliance through incentives and sanctions, including those affecting organisational reputation; create greater visibility of voluntary agreements; and increase scrutiny and monitoring of partners' pledge activities.
authors.affiliation: Policy Innovation Research Unit, Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Electronic address: Mary-Alison.Durand@lshtm.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Mary Alison
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Durand
authors.affiliation: Policy Innovation Research Unit, Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petticrew
authors.affiliation: Policy Innovation Research Unit, Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goulding
authors.affiliation: Policy Innovation Research Unit, Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eastmure
authors.affiliation: Policy Innovation Research Unit, Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Cecile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Knai
authors.affiliation: Policy Innovation Research Unit, Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mays
mesh_terms: D004739:England; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D011050:Policy Making; D016730:Program Development; D011634:Public Health; D055818:Public-Private Sector Partnerships; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: Evaluation research; Public Health Responsibility Deal; Public health policy; Public-private partnerships; Voluntary agreements