Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Network

We are less than four weeks away from the ADPH Yorkshire and the Humber sector-led improvement (SLI) conference. For those less familiar with the term, sector-led improvement is based on a culture of collaborative working, sharing good practice, constructive challenge and learning.

This accurately describes the collaborative way in which we work in Yorkshire and the Humber. Our SLI conference will bring together people from all parts of the public health community. In addition to hearing from local, regional and national colleagues; we will have the chance to look back and reflect on an extraordinary period of time in public health and our communities. We will reflect on our own experiences of the pandemic and spend time looking forward and consider how best to maximise the opportunities that come with public health and inequalities being in the spotlight.

Alongside COVID-19, pre-existing health and social care challenges persist. As we continue to mitigate and address the impacts of COVID-19 in our communities, we also focus our efforts on addressing the persistent inequalities faced by the Yorkshire and Humber population. At this year’s SLI Conference we will be joined by Professor Sir Michael Marmot. Professor Marmot’s unrivalled expertise in the field of health equity comes from nearly 50 years of leading research groups on health inequalities. He will challenge us to confront the social gradient in health; and take action to address the conditions in which people in Yorkshire & the Humber are born, grow, live, work and age.

As we build back fairer from the pandemic, we cannot ignore that the regional and national public health system is changing with the establishment of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Embedded within the Department of Health and Social Care, OHID holds the ambition to deliver "more joined-up, sustained action between national and local government". Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England and co-lead for OHID will join us on the 10^th December to discuss the opportunities of this government body and the renewed national focus on “levelling up”.

The renewed national focus on health inequalities over the last 18 months is welcome. However, people in Yorkshire and the Humber face specific challenges. Local and regional leadership to address inequalities experience poorer health and wellbeing is essential. Professor Peter Kelly, OHID Regional Director & NHS Director of Public Health for the North East and Yorkshire will provide regional context and discuss the opportunities of ongoing national reorganisation.

As we start to emerge from the pandemic, Directors of Public Health in Yorkshire and the Humber have identified three priorities where we want to work together to improve outcomes for people living in Yorkshire and the Humber. The priorities recognise:

• Promoting inclusive and wellbeing economies.
• Addressing climate change and sustainability.
• Improving life chances for children and young people.

The SLI conference will provide a great opportunity to showcase work from the public health community in these areas and give participants the opportunity to inform and shape how the ADPH network takes these priorities forward.

Earlier this month, at the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards, the Editor's Award for Outstanding Contribution to Local Government was awarded to “Directors of Public Health and their teams.” We cannot emphasise enough the focus that should be attributed to the word “teams”. Colleagues from across, local authority, health and social care organisations, academic institutions and countless partner agencies have delivered the public health response to COVID-19. You do not need to have the words “public health” in your job title to be working in public health. This year’s SLI conference is open to all colleagues and partners involved in public health, or interested in discovering more.

We look forward to collaborating, sharing and learning with colleagues on Friday 10^th December.

Julia Weldon

Chair of the ADPH Yorkshire and the Humber network

Director of Public Health, Hull City Council

Louise Wallace

Sector-led improvement lead for the ADPH Yorkshire and the Humber network

Director of Public Health, North Yorkshire County Council

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Association of the Directors of Public Health Yorkshire and the Humber sector-led improvement conference - Friday 10^th December 2021

This year’s SLI conference is a virtual conference held via Zoom and Teams sessions.