Aim. In this preliminary study, the health promotion activities for older people in Wales
were evaluated with a view to form initial conclusions and research areas. The study drew
on a dataset that is collated on an all-Wales basis. Background. The National Service
Framework for Older People is a 10-year strategy concerned with the effective delivery of
health and social care for individuals over the age of 50 years. It has 10 standards and
number 3 of these relates to health promotion. The health promotion standard covers a
wide range of issues, including alcohol, smoking, exercise, diet and vaccination. Methods.
Information was extracted from an all-Wales Self-Assessment Audit Tool. A ‘realist
review’ methodology was used to further extract information, using a combination of note
taking and a questionnaire protocol. A further analysis was undertaken using a theoretical
framework of six policy factors. Results. Health promotion in Wales is being implemented
in locally sensitive ways and this has strengths. Weaknesses include measurement and
comparison. Conclusions. This study illustrates that the health promotion agenda has a
considerable amount of activity in Wales. Future research might include detailed
evaluations of some areas, perhaps with health economic analysis included.