5 December 2024

Directors of Public Health: Closing the local gap

The conference offers us invaluable insight into how our colleagues, partners and peers are tackling the wider determinants of our health to improve the nation’s health. While Government policies are incredibly important, how we implement them at a local level is the real game changer and while we are all working in different localities, the core elements of the job – to work with others to protect and promote good health and wellbeing – are the same wherever we are based.
Greg Fell
ADPH President

We have held our annual conference which, this year, focussed on the role of Directors of Public Health in closing the gap in health outcomes between the richest and poorest members of our society.

During the day-long conference, ADPH members heard from speakers including Andrew Gwynne MP, Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Former Health Minister, Lord Bethell, and the Chief Medical Officers for England and Scotland, Prof. Sir Chris Whitty and Prof. Sir Gregor Smith, who were joined in a special Q&A session by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Keith Reid.

Greg Fell, ADPH President, opened the conference by emphasising the importance of learning from each other. Talking after the event, he said:

“The ADPH conference is always a fantastic event and allows us to get together and really get to grips with how we can effectively tackle the issues facing us as leaders of our local communities’ health. This year, we wanted to explore our role in supporting the Government to achieve its goal of halving the gap in healthy life expectancy.

“It simply isn’t right that growing numbers of people are suffering – and ultimately dying – from largely preventable illness and disease and the fact that people living in the same towns are experiencing vastly different health outcomes based on the environment accessible to them, often as a result of income, education and background, must be addressed.

Andrew Gwynne, who spoke to over 100 ADPH members before taking questions, said:

“People’s health should not be decided by their wealth.

“It will need to be the mission of this Government, business, civil society and local public health leadership, who all have a vital role to play, to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy so everyone can live well for longer.

“We are working hard to reform our healthcare system to improve our nation’s health. Through our 10 Year Health Plan, we will build an NHS that is fit for the future and delivers for its patients by moving from hospital to the community, analogue to digital, and treatment to prevention.”

Throughout the day, the importance of involving local communities in initiatives to tackle the root causes of ill-health was highlighted in a number of presentations, and ADPH members also benefited from a Q&A with Chief Executive of New Local, Jessica Studdert, Charlie Adan and Elle Dodd from Collaborate, and Maddy Desforges OBE, CEO of the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action. A number of Directors of Public Health, including Claire Beynon from Cardiff and the Vale, and Stuart Keeble, from Suffolk, also shared their experiences, expertise and insight.

Greg Fell, who is also Director of Public Health for Sheffield City Council, added:

“The conference offers us invaluable insight into how our colleagues, partners and peers are tackling the wider determinants of our health to improve the nation’s health. While Government policies are incredibly important, how we implement them at a local level is the real game changer and while we are all working in different localities, the core elements of the job – to work with others to protect and promote good health and wellbeing – are the same wherever we are based.”

During the conference, the ADPH Annual Awards were also presented to Directors of Public Health in a range of categories.

This year’s ADPH Annual Conference was sponsored by: