The University of Lincoln recently held a two-day workshop on public health, with experts from across the University and external stakeholders. Opened by Professor Duncan French, Pro Vice Chancellor, and with contributions from, amongst others, the Greater Lincolnshire Director of Public Health, Professor Derek Ward, Visiting Professor in Lincoln Medical School and Dr Sunil Hindocha, Medical Director of the Lincolnshire NHS Integrated Care Board, the workshop explored the future opportunities and challenges in public health research, the role of data in shaping future collaborations between the University and local stakeholders, and next steps in consultancy, evaluation and research on public health at the University of Lincoln. It is expected that the outcomes of the workshop will lead to an action-oriented “roadmap” on public health, which will guide both internal next steps for academic centres within the University and deepening partnerships externally.

Professor French remarked: “The workshop has been a key goal this year in helping us develop further our commitment to a broadly-conceived, trans-disciplinary approach to public health. Following the COVID pandemic, we realised that there was so much going on within the University in this space and that Lincolnshire specifically as a county has certain public health needs that if not unique within the UK are particular due to the geography and demographics of the county. Moreover, we have incredibly close relations with our partners in both the NHS and local authorities and this allows us to develop a truly integrated approach to our research and other offerings, including education and training, in this area.”