CHAD 2nd Annual Health and Inequalities Conference, Economic, Environmental and Health Inequalities in a Time of Austerity
The Centre for Health and Development (CHAD) at Staffordshire University and the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) held a hugely successful 2nd Annual Health and Inequalities Conference at the University on Wednesday 26th June, 2019.
Given the current political uncertainties and the mounting evidence of the public health impacts of austerity on life expectancy and infant mortality in particular, it was perhaps unsurprising that an event on ‘Economic, Environmental and Health Inequalities in a time of Austerity’ attracted over 100 registrations from a diverse range of public health professionals, including consultants, practitioners, academics, researchers, nurses, students and community workers. These delegates were drawn from key public health and partner bodies including Public Health England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Clinical Research Network, NHS, Universities, local authorities, the Illegal Money Lending Team, the Modern Slavery Network and the voluntary sector. This ensured lively, productive and, on occasions, inspirational discussion.
The speakers also reflected the diverse and inter-connected factors that impact on public health as well as representing the key bodies and levers for mitigating them. Keynote presentations from Professors Mark Gamsu, John Middleton and Chris Gidlow together with Dr Jacqui Ashdown set the scene for each session with evidence and experience-packed critiques of poverty, welfare, environment, food, economic development, debt, and housing. The three workshop sessions were themed around living, moving and economic inequalities and provided delegates with expert detail on issues ranging from homelessness to county lines, mental health to obesity, loan sharking to the bedroom tax and all points between. Speakers drew on each other’s experiences and a particular highlight was a speaker going ‘off-piste’ to share his lived experience. Two of the speakers were recent MPH graduates and presented work from their dissertations with great assurance and to enthusiastic response. All three Q/A sessions were lively affairs and contributed to the learning gained. Presentations were complemented by displays from NIHR, a Big Local community project, North Staffs Financial Inclusion Group, PHE and the cream of the recent FPH ‘what does public health look like’ photograph exhibition.
In short a powerful and productive public health day; much learned and much more to do.
Watch this space for news of next year’s event!
Presentations from the Conference:
Keynote presentations
- Health Inequality and the Welfare State – Professor Mark Gamsu, School of Health & Community Studies, Leeds Beckett University
- Secure, healthy, inclusive and green – four dividends of a healthier future – Professor John Middleton, President, Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region
- Natural environments, health and health inequalities – Professor Chris Gidlow, Centre for Health and Development, Staffordshire University
- Health inequalities: the reality Life in Stoke on Trent – Jacquie Ashdown and Paul Trinder
Presentations:
- Deprivation and the Obesogenic Environment – Professor Patrick Saunders, Staffordshire University
- Environmental Health Inequalities – Professor Jon Fairburn, Staffordshire University
- Designing out Homelessness – Jean Templeton, Chair, West Midlands Mayor’s Homelessness Taskforce
- Primary Healthcare Issues amongst the Homeless in Birmingham: Data from a specialist homeless healthcare centre –
Dr Vibhu Paudyal, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy, University of Birmingham - West Midlands Anti Slavery Network – Robin Brierley, West Midlands Anti Slavery Network
- Coventry Refugee and Asylum Seeker Mental Health Service – Natalie Wright, ST4 Public Health, Coventry City Council
- Moving from homelessness to temporary accommodation and beyond What the data tell us – Sukdeep Kaur Dhadda, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
- Stop Loan Sharks – Nadeem Mahammed, England Illegal Money Lending Team
- Payday denied: Exploring the lived experience of declined payday applicants – Dr Lindsey Appleyard, Coventry University and Carl Packman, Fair by Design
- Economic, environmental and health inequalities in a time of austerity – Reflections on research into the impact of
welfare reform – Richard Machin, Senior Lecturer, Social Work and Health, Nottingham Trent University - Financial Inclusion Group North Staffordshire – Alan Turley, Chair, Financial Inclusion Group North Staffordshire
Some more images from the Conference.
