Vicky Hobart, Group Director of Public Health, Greater London Authority

Public health has always been part of Vicky Hobart’s story. Growing up in North London, she was heavily influenced by her mum, a health visitor in Summer’s Town who also worked in some of the UK’s earliest family planning clinics. Those early experiences laid the foundations for a career dedicated to improving health and tackling inequalities.

Vicky’s career has been extraordinarily varied. Early work in the Seychelles exposed her to every aspect of a small health and care system, while studying at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine broadened her understanding through collaboration with colleagues from across the world. Later, during her first consultant role in Haringey, she delivered an equity audit of health visiting services that led directly to more equitable provision for local communities.

She has also worked as a teacher and FE lecturer, play leader supporting homeless families and market researcher, reflecting the diverse experiences that have shaped her leadership style.

One of her proudest achievements has been establishing the GLA Group Public Health Shared Service in 2022, bringing together a talented multidisciplinary team to support public health action across the GLA Group and London’s wider public sector. Today, she is passionate about using policy at scale to improve health and reduce inequalities. Among the many challenges she sees, families living in temporary accommodation remains a particular concern and one she hopes to see addressed more effectively in the future.

Vicky’s advice for future public health professionals is simple but powerful: being clever is not enough. To create meaningful change, people must also be curious, courageous and willing to understand how decisions are made.