On this page you can find out more about the Improving Population Health Fellows class of 2024. There are five fellow categories covering: adversity, trauma and resilience; climate change; health equity, suicide prevention and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). See our Improving Population Health Fellowship pages for more details.
Jennifer Allott – Health Equity Fellow
Jenny has a background in the voluntary sector where she has worked at organisations including Citizens Advice and Age UK York. She has delivered a range of projects, including provision of benefits, debt and housing advice, and supporting people on discharge from hospital.
Now working at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Jenny has a particular interest in how family income affects health and access to healthcare services.
Dr Fameeda Ansari – Health Equity Fellow
I have recently taken up a consultant post with Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. I am the Head of Service for paediatric psychology where we work with children and young people struggling with the psychological impact of health conditions. Before that I worked for over twenty years as a clinical psychologist in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in Bradford. I am also the Chair of Roshni Ghar which is a mental health and wellbeing charity that provides culturally appropriate and responsive services to South Asian women and girls.
Vanessa Atkinson – Health Equity Fellow
My name is Vanessa Atkinson, I am the Senior Programme Manager for the Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership Digital Enabler Programme.
I have nearly 30 years of experience managing projects, programmes, and digital improvement focused work, supporting organisations through large scale change and transformation. I have a real passion for making a difference to the healthcare we provide to our patients, seeing many of the opportunities we can take to make improvements utilising the use of digital technology. We know that there are many health inequalities relating to digital. To help address some of those issues, I would like to focus my work with patients who are currently on a waiting list, yet to be seen by a service.
Due to long waits for specialist classes, patients could be waiting anything up to 40 to 50 weeks to be seen by a clinician in either a face-to-face or virtual class. Some services offer the use of digital tools ahead of them being seen in a clinic. The tools have many functions within them that would support the patient with their health condition to both manage it and better understand it ahead of their appointment.
I would like to work with a cohort of patients to identify if they are digital excluded and what categories of exclusion they are affected by. This would allow us to create a digital intervention plan (if appropriate) to support earlier use of digital tools or identify the patient’s suitability for different clinic interventions, rather than waiting to be assessed during their first appointment.
I am extremely proud to be continuing to strive to make improvements across my local area and I am really looking forward to bringing learning from the fellowship to inform the digital focus required for future place-based working.
Gail Baines – Health Equity Fellow
My name is Gail Baines and I have worked in the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector in Hull since 2014, prior to that I worked in both health and education. My roles in the VCSE have included managing Healthwatch Hull and community navigation services as well as overseeing the Forum Community engagement team. In all of these areas I have seen the range and impact of health inequalities in Hull.
In my current role I oversee the social prescribing element of our work, including both the city-wide community navigation service and Primary Care Link workers within PCN’s. During covid I established the Hull Social Prescribing network to bring together all social prescribers within the city. This network gives opportunities for peer support within the city as well as sharing information about training, opportunities and organisations ensuring we have a comparable level of social prescribing service across the city.
I have recently managed the development of a community engagement team whose primary function is to work with communities and trusted leaders to identify ways to improve community engagement across the city. This has resulted in new ways of engaging with communities who have previously been underserved or labelled ‘hard to engage’.
I have been involved in projects which have considered environmental and social factors to tackle health inequities. My time working within education gave me the opportunity to work with children and learn how they saw the city, how it worked for them and how things could be changed for the better.
I was born in Hull and have always lived in the local area. I think this is the reason I am so passionate about Hull as a city, its history, heritage and future, and how we can work with the people of Hull to improve our environment as well as improve individual health and wellbeing.
Toby Ben-Babatunde – Health Equity Fellow
Toby Ben-Babatunde’s journey in healthcare includes a recent role as an admin/clinical support worker with Navigo Health and Social Care within the crisis home treatment team, where she plays a crucial role assisting older people facing mental health challenges, with therapeutic and basic care. This role also involves implementing treatment plans, administering medication, observing behavioural changes, delivering patient-centred care, and promoting their safety, amongst other duties.
She is equally a seasoned professional with a rich background in business and management, holding a distinction in MSc Business and Management from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. With over a decade of experience in administrative management, human resources administration and customer service, Toby has honed a diverse skill set and a practical perspective that allows for effective independent work or collaborative teamwork.
Notably her commitment to excellence is exemplified through academic achievements, including an MSc Corporate Communication and Public Affairs and a BA (Hons) in Linguistics and Nigerian Languages. Membership in the Chartered Management Institute further underscores a dedication to professional growth.
In a previous role as a business manager at Utopian Healthcare, she demonstrated leadership by selecting and hiring employees, supervising operations and leading the company to increased productivity.
This versatile professional has also made impactful contributions in the field of healthcare as a clerical officer at NHS Grampian, a support worker at Aberness Care, Aberdeen, an executive assistant/admin secretary to the executive secretary at Kwara State Health Insurance in Nigeria & Head, Human Resources Department at Maayoit Healthcare in Nigeria.
Toby’s journey is marked by continuous learning and development, evident in certifications such as Lean Six Sigma – Yellow Belt, and training including healthcare quality and patient safety (tools and concepts) by Utopian Healthcare, and behavioural economics by Pharmaccess Foundation.
She serves as the project lead for the BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) network at Navigo. With a strong commitment to fostering health equity, she eagerly anticipates participating in the Health Equity Fellowship. Her objective is to use the fellowship as a platform to enhance her comprehension of health inequities, advocate for equity in Humber and North Yorkshire, cultivate a robust peer network focused on health equity, and actively disseminate valuable insights and best practice within the field.
Toby’s dedication to excellence, coupled with a diverse skill set, positions her as an asset to the Health Equity Fellowship community.
Megan Bennett – ATR Fellow
I’m a research and evaluation specialist at the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP). The VRP takes a public health approach which understands the importance of early intervention. As such, the VRP has an extensive research and evaluation programme to establish how the root causes of violence can be effectively identified and addressed. I currently lead on the violence against women and girls workstream, and oversee the substance use, housing, mental health, and bereavement workstreams. Through all these workstreams I aim to understand how health and inequalities intersect with serious violence.
Prior to working at the VRP, I studied human geography at the University of Liverpool and then completed a master’s degree in public health at the University of Sheffield. Whilst studying I developed an interest in health and social inequalities. After personal experience of parental bereavement, I went on to write my postgraduate dissertation which contextualised contemporary grief and resilience literature to understand how bereavement experiences can differ in young adulthood. This learning will now be developed as my project aims to explore the roles in which grief and bereavement can have in serious violence perpetration and victimisation whilst understanding its impact on risk.
Lizzie Borrill – Health Equity Fellow
I currently work on the Cancer Champions Programme to raise awareness across our population of the signs and symptoms of cancer and the importance and uptake of cancer screening to aid early diagnosis. Ways in which the Cancer Champions Programme works include through the delivery of face-to-face and virtual awareness sessions, and amplifying national campaign messaging. The awareness sessions are delivered to a variety of people and organisations.
I am looking to utilise the skills and knowledge gained through this fellowship to transform the way people with a learning disability or a physical disability can recognise the signs and symptoms of cancer and access cancer screening.
Natasha Briggs – Suicide Prevention Fellow
I am Natasha Briggs, a medicines optimisation technician working for the West Yorkshire Integrated Care System in Kirklees, which I have done for several years. Prior to that I worked in community pharmacy and a specialist dispensing facility focusing on transplant, HIV, and fertility medicine. I have a deep-rooted interest in mental health, completing an undergraduate and post graduate degree in psychology and volunteering for victim support. I am also interested in how animals can help some people with mental health and/or learning difficulties and completed a course in animal assisted therapy. Having lost a loved one to suicide at a young age, it has remained a very emotive issue for me and becoming a suicide prevention champion has fuelled my desire to take more of an active role within suicide prevention. One lost life to suicide is one too many. More could and should be done.
Dr Stephanie Choo – Climate Change Fellow
I am currently a specialty trainee in renal medicine in the Yorkshire and Humber deanery. Over recent years, I have realised and witnessed the carbon impact of healthcare, particularly in my own specialty. I have since developed a keen interest in sustainable healthcare and will be working on a regional project to improve the carbon footprint of in-centre haemodialysis. I am also interested in medical education and obtained a PG Diploma in Medical Education. Outside medicine, I enjoy gardening and exploring the UK's scenic countryside and natural landscapes.
Michael Crookes – Health Equity Fellow
Michael qualified as a pharmacist in 2017 and received a post-graduate diploma in clinical pharmacy practice (independent prescribing) in 2021. He has over 7 years of experience in pharmacy practice, working in community pharmacies and general practices across Yorkshire. In 2023, he joined West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board as a medicines optimisation pharmacist and leads on respiratory prescribing and infections for the team at Wakefield place. Michael grew up in the Wakefield area and is keen to help in addressing health inequalities across the local communities as part of his role.
Alice Cunningham – Suicide Prevention Fellow
I have a background in psychology with a BSc in psychology with clinical psychology and a MSc in health psychology. I am a final year part-time psychology PhD student at the University of Hull and work full-time as a research fellow at the Improvement Academy. I am predominately a qualitative researcher; my doctoral thesis has utilised Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) across three studies looking at understanding the phenomenological experience of schema therapy for eating disorders from both a client and therapist perspective. At the Improvement Academy, I am involved in an array of projects looking at patient safety, behaviour change and most recently, artificial intelligence in healthcare.
I am an ambassador for the eating disorder charity Beat. In this role, I provide support and hope to carers of those with an eating disorder. I also speak to large groups (including teachers, medical professionals, and students) about difficult topics to raise awareness of eating disorders. Prior to my role as a research fellow, I worked for a mental health crisis team for four years. During this time, I supported individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts, through signposting and providing a safe place for them to share their feelings. Although no longer in this role, I continue to be passionate about mental health awareness and believe this fellowship is the next step in my development and contribution to the field.
Anna Daniels – Health Equity Fellow
I am a children's nurse by background and now work as a professional lead within children’s and adult community services in a community interest company. I am also a regional Makaton tutor, enabling me to enhance communication strategies for people who experience barriers to accessing healthcare.
Alex Diffley – Climate Change Fellow
I’m Alex, a paramedic by background, currently working as a research paramedic for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Research Institute. This involves the delivery of a portfolio of pre-hospital research including interventional, observational, and data-derived studies sponsored by our system partners, commonly including local universities, NHS trusts or national bodies such as the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). I am also furthering my own research output by studying postgraduate clinical research delivery specialising in public health. I am passionate about climate change issues and improving data collection in the ambulance service to evidence change or improvements in our carbon intensity. I manage the paramedic sustainability network, soon to be linked with the allied healthcare professional network with the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare and when not at work, am often found on one of the many idyllic coastlines of the UK planning my next scuba dive. As an ocean advocate, I hope to help the NHS meet net-zero so I can continue enjoying our diverse marine environment for many years to come.
Jenniefer Eastwood – Suicide Prevention Fellow
I’m Jenniefer (she/her) a public health practitioner at Calderdale Council working in adults’ mental health and suicide prevention services. I’m particularly interested in the role of communications and how it can be used to tackle mental health stigma and encourage people to seek help. Before entering public health, I completed my PhD and worked in community outreach and engagement. I want to utilise these skills into more co-production with experts by experience. I am a corporate equality champion for the council and outside of work, I’m an inclusive fitness instructor. I support people with complex medical needs and mental health conditions who would otherwise struggle to participate in regular movement. Fun fact - I have three cats and three llamas.
Dr Jane Ellis – ATR fellow
I am a clinical psychologist working for Little Minds Matter, an infant mental health and parent-infant relationship service in Bradford. I have worked clinically in a range of mental health settings, and I completed a specialist policy placement in the Start for Life Unit within the Department of Health and Social Care during my clinical psychology training.
I am passionate about expanding the role of clinical psychologists into public health, population, and community-level interventions. I have regularly observed in my clinical practice how sociopolitical contexts impact on emotional wellbeing and have felt uncomfortable working solely at the individual level. I am keen to be involved in work that shifts the focus from individualising and pathologising distress towards addressing structural oppression and inequalities, as well as harnessing community strengths and resources. My doctoral thesis explored parents’ stories of caring for a baby during austerity and a cost-of-living crisis.
As part of the fellowship, I will be undertaking a research project to hear the experiences and reflections of parents of babies in Bradford. This will further our insight into their needs, values, challenges and resources, and enable us to be more attuned and responsive to these. We hope it could have impact at a wider level and add to the developing body of evidence calling for systemic change to address inequalities.
Dr Muhammad Faisal – Health Equity Fellow
Muhammad is Assistant Professor in Biostatistics, Centre for Digital Innovations in Health and Social Care, Faculty of Health Studies, University of Bradford. He is a dedicated researcher committed to utilising data to address health inequalities. His research is focused on developing equitable prediction tools to enhance the quality and safety of healthcare. He is a lead data scientist for Yorkshire and Humber Patient Safety Research Collaboration and Fellow of the Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research. With a track record of serving as the lead data scientist within several multidisciplinary research teams and having authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, he is passionate about translating research into practical solutions. His enthusiasm lies in applying these equitable prediction tools collaboratively to bring about positive changes in population health.
Taiye Timmy Fatoki – Health Equity Fellow
I am a community development officer and I love interventions that ensure community / human development. I have spent the last eighteen years of my professional life supporting human development in the areas of education, poverty eradication, human rights, and health. I spent the earlier part of my career in the charity sector, working on HIV/AIDS prevention, management and control. My roles involved capacity development of health practitioners and community volunteers, advocacy and effective communication, political engagement and awareness creation.
I later supported female genital cutting (FGC) prevention through awareness and sensitisation alongside community leaders and other stakeholders, including survivors of the act. At that point, I moved a step beyond the usual to direct and produce a 45 minute documentary about the myths and facts of FGC practices. It was also a good time for me to work more closely with people with lived experience of FGC, listen to their stories and perspectives and to influence my engagement at eradicating the practice. Such experience was very imperative to my zeal at creating awareness and improving on advocacy regarding FGC.
A few years ago, I had a role to support capacity development of medical practitioners on basic health care provision, as well as awareness creation among community members on available public and basic health services. Palladium International supported this. It was important to me because I had the opportunity to know more about the 'what', 'how' and 'why' of common public and basic health. A few months after this intervention, I had the privilege to lead a team of 35 people with varied technical background, on an integrated behavioural and biological surveillance survey, with the main objective of obtaining serological and critical behavioural information on key population including female sex workers, people who inject drugs, males who have sex with males, and transgender persons.
I work as a community development officer at Humber All Nations Alliance (HANA) where I relate with communities of people from diverse backgrounds to ensure they have a stronger voice that can influence authority’s decisions on issues affecting their development. I have passion for making lives better through the support I give to communities. I also bank staff with MIND as a mental health crisis assistant. I hold a Master’s in social work (community development) and gender and development respectively. I recently participated in a webinar on capacity building for implementing virtual demand creation and health service delivery, organised by fast response team, OPM United Kingdom.
Harriet Fletcher – Health Equity Fellow
I am a consultant psychiatrist specialising in psychotherapy and I work in a city-wide psychological therapy service in Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. I have worked as a consultant psychiatrist since 2009. At the very start of my career as a doctor I also considered training instead in public health and I have retained an awareness of the importance of seeing beyond the individual to population level needs and interventions.
In recent years I have developed a clinical interest in working with autistic people and people who are otherwise neurodivergent, as I have started to notice how many people in mental health services are neurodivergent but undiagnosed. I have undertaken a secondment and further training in autism, and I would like to use the fellowship to work on improving the service offer for neurodivergent people accessing community mental health services at primary and secondary care level in Leeds. I would particularly like to look at how we can address ‘diagnostic overshadowing’ whereby either people’s mental health or neurodivergent needs are overlooked and misunderstood.
Kim Frost – Health Equity Fellow
Hello! My name is Kim Frost. I am incredibly passionate about improving the standards of healthcare delivered to our communities. As a strong advocate of equity, I do not accept that standards of care should be dependent on socio-economic status. Through healthcare development, innovation and education, the health of individuals can vastly improve, thus placing less pressure on our healthcare systems and enhancing economic growth.
My current role within Health Innovation Yorkshire and Humber allows me to work on projects that support this ethos and enables me to work with wonderful people within the community on improving health outcomes. This is a relatively new role for me, my background is working as deputy governance lead in an acute trust in South Yorkshire where I have spent most of my career. My work included contributing to the development of the directorate risk management strategy and operational policies, managing all clinical and non-clinical risk, whilst improving patient safety and implementing quality improvement projects within the directorate.
During my time at the trust, I was a member of the Human Factors in Patient Safety Faculty, teaching and training staff across the trust in various aspects of human factors in patient safety, ensuring learning from incidents and supporting staff is at the centre of who we are. This not only improves professional relationships and teamwork but also massively benefits patient outcomes. This was an incredibly rewarding part of my role as I was able to reach a lot of people and support them within their own careers.
I am incredibly proud and honoured to be a part of class 2024!
When I am not working, my life revolves around two incredible little humans who are my reason for getting out of bed in the morning. We enjoy crafting, reading and weekend afternoon painting whilst singing along to ABBA.
Claire Garrett – Health Equity Fellow
My name is Claire Garrett and I am an inclusion health officer, a very exciting and new role in primary care. I work for City Health Care Partnership (CHCP) and have been with them since 2008.
I am extremely passionate about supporting patients who have health inequalities, especially in the primary care environment. I believe that no patients should have barriers into accessing primary care, or any healthcare, and that all patients (capacity depending) should be able to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare. In order to help patients make informative decisions, we need to stop putting up barriers and think outside of the norm
I am really looking forward to all the learning and networking, and to cascading my learning to my organisation on this programme.
Jason Goforth – Health Equity Fellow
My name is Jason, I am a public health lead for children, young people and families for Hull City Council. Within my current role I lead on the commissioning of public health services for children, young people and families in Hull, some of which are statutory services and others commissioned to meet local need.
I have worked in public health for nearly 20 years, in a variety of roles including health improvement, public protection and commissioning of public health services to meet local need. I am passionate about improving health outcomes for children, young people and families.
I am also a mentor and assessor on the Public Health Practitioner Programme which allows me to support colleagues who are new to public health and share the skills I have gained throughout my time working in public health.
In my spare time I like spending time with my family, supporting my local rugby league team and taking part in open water swimming events.
Dr Xina Gooding Broderick – Health Equity Fellow
Dr Xina Gooding Broderick is an experienced executive leadership coach, consultant, funeral parlour owner and charity chair. Xina has joined the fellowship to play a part in improving the health disparities faced by the black population in the UK. Xina has witnessed these disparities first-hand and is looking forward to working with other change agents to make sure that the gap in health outcomes is closed as quickly as possible.
Esther Green – Health Equity Fellow
In my current role I work in the strategy team within West Yorkshire Combined Authority, looking at how to develop our long-term policy goals to improve the lives of people in West Yorkshire. Through this work I have a focus on embedding the West Yorkshire Plan, an ambitious set of missions for 2040 which was co-developed with partners across the region.
My background is in health policy, having previously worked for a number of years at national health charities and a healthcare regulator. I have always been particularly interested in wider social determinants of health and how socio-economic inequalities impact on access to, and experiences of, health and wellbeing services.
Outside of work I spent several years as a Samaritans listening volunteer and previously as a listening volunteer for Nightline – the university student equivalent of Samaritans.
Laura Gurney – ATR Fellow
I am a Tai chi, Qigong and breathwork coach with over 20 years practice and 10 years teaching experience. This work is Taoist in origin and comes from ancient Chinese culture. The simple, gentle and deeply therapeutic movements are accessible to everyone and are drawn from nature. I also work with people nearing end-of-life with Medicine Buddha mantra practice. My on-going Tai Chi training is with The White Cloud Temple in Beijing. I am also currently training as a celebrant and ceremonialist with the Isis School of Holistic Health in Glasgow and am becoming increasingly interested in holding healing circles using guided journeys and rituals to process grief, loss, trauma, anger and life transitions.
In particular I am exploring the use of non-Western ceremonies and practices, translated for participants based in the UK. As a former academic, I studied and taught the functional analysis of ceremony but now have deep conviction in the profound therapeutic healing that can be brought about in a much shorter time by ceremonial work. I am committed to developing this work beyond the confines of the ‘wellness’ industry where it is necessary to charge a fee for this kind of work.
Lisa Hadley – Health Equity Fellow
I am a registered adult nurse with over 20 years of nursing experience. My first leadership role was in a fast-paced nursing environment requiring a great deal of operational oversight. I have always been extremely dedicated to supporting staff and improving patient experience. I am also very passionate about inclusivity and personalised care, I contributed to change management and participated in various improvement projects. The pandemic influenced by career path unexpectedly and I found my way into project management. Within this role I remain passionate about people and supporting them on their life journey.
I am currently working in the West Yorkshire Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Programme Team. My role is to support the delivery of the maternal mental health service (PATHs), a West Yorkshire wide service which will bring together maternity, mental health services and wider VCSE partners. The service will support women experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties directly arising from, or related to, their maternity experience, particularly focusing on the impact of baby loss. I have a keen focus on addressing health inequalities and removing barriers to accessing support.
Dannie Harding – Anti-Microbial Resistance Fellow
Hello, I’m Dannie Harding.
I am the project officer for the Children, Young People and Families Programme and lead for West Yorkshire Healthier Together. The goal of our programme is to reduce inequalities within healthcare for all children and young people across West Yorkshire.
I have over 16 years’ experience in the NHS, ranging from estates and facilities, managing theatre waiting lists, radiology, and cancer pathways.
In 2020, I joined the West Yorkshire ICB Children, Young People and Families Programme, and in 2024 took on the role of lead for West Yorkshire Healthier Together.
It is a privilege to work with such an inspiring, hardworking and dedicated team who strive to improve all aspects of health and wellbeing for children, young people, and their families.
Being a parent myself, I have passion for supporting children and young people across West Yorkshire and reducing the inequalities they face, in addition to empowering and supporting parents and carers.
Seyedeh Hossini – Health Equity Fellow
I currently serve as a clinical trial assistant with the oncology research team at St. James Hospital. I earned a bachelor’s degree in public health in Kermanshah, Iran, and a master’s degree in health services management from the University of Chester, England. I am very passionate about contributing to the improvement of health care services so that it would become easily accessible to everybody. I am excited and looking forward during this fellowship to learning more about the UK’s public health and how as an individual I could add value to the West Yorkshire public health.
Laura Inglis – Health Equity Fellow
My name is Laura Inglis and I currently work as interim matron for planned care including district nurses, bladder and bowel services, phlebotomy and community nursing hub for Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust. I am very committed and enthusiastic about community and therapy services. My drive is to lead and help shape the future of planned community nursing service. I feel it is a diverse and challenging role which allows me to build upon excellent working relationships with other members of the community to improve standards and quality of patient care and provide a service inclusive to all. I am passionate about delivering high standards of care and driving community nursing standards forward. I would like the opportunity to undertake the fellowship and develop new skills to improve public health and reduce health inequalities in North Lincolnshire.
Health inequalities are complex and can be seen throughout North Lincolnshire. I have had the opportunity of working with different groups of society, acting as an advocate and delivering nursing care to those in our area for the last 22 years. I qualified as a nurse in 2002 and have worked for NLAG for 20 years as a community nurse, district nurse and team lead.
Recently, I have had the opportunity to deliver care to the homeless and network with local charities and North Lincolnshire Council to try and improve my knowledge of service provision within our area and understand the significant gaps in service provision and access to NHS services which should be accessible to all.
Nia Jackson-Owens - Health Equity Fellow
Currently working as a Corporate Planning and Performance officer at West Yorkshire Combined Authority, I have previous experience working in policy for the Department of Health and Social Care and in funding and volunteer support at a West Yorkshire based charity supporting refugees and asylum seekers. Prior to this, I completed a Master’s in Philosophy, writing my thesis on feminist care ethics and climate change. I am keenly interested in social justice and issues of inequity; particularly in how existing social structures may serve to increase inequalities, and how more community-based approaches and increased understanding may help dismantle barriers. I am looking forward to taking part in this year’s Improving Population Health Fellowship (Health Equity) and combining my own personal ethic (that collectively we should care about creating an environment that allows all to be healthy, happy, excel in opportunities, and ultimately feel valued and respected) with further understanding and skills development, and applying this to my professional work.
Michal Janik – Health Equity Fellow
In my NHS journey, I discovered my passion for addressing health inequalities. As part of the Improving Population Health Team over the past year, I’ve dedicated myself to understanding and tackling the root causes of these disparities. A highlight has been my involvement in organising the health Mela event and Brain Health Cafe where we not only promote physical health but also provide a supportive space for mental wellbeing. It's been fulfilling to contribute to initiatives that make a positive impact on our community's health and wellbeing.
Sean Johnson – Health Equity Fellow
Hi, I’m Sean, I am 58 years old and I work part-time with some of the community partnerships in the Shipley locality, providing administrative, social media and project support. I work mostly from home remotely, fitting work around my health and homelife.
I am passionate about reducing health inequalities, particularly for people with long-term health conditions that affect their ability to work. I know from first-hand experience some of the day-to-day struggles disabled people face, especially having not been able to work for many years. I want to try and help people who struggle with their health and who are ready, get back into the world of work at the right time and at the right pace.
I love watching most sport, particularly rugby and cricket and I am a keen member of several online quiz teams. I also love spending time with my four adult daughters.
Matthew Jordan – ATR Fellow
I am an experienced specialist occupational therapist working in an NHS secondary mental health community team since 2016. Prior to this, I worked in a private organisation for five years as an occupational therapist in male locked door rehabilitation and female personality disorder locked door rehabilitation services.
Throughout my career I have always been motivated to work with complex trauma and in my current role I facilitate a trauma-focused group (seeking safety) with my colleague. We are in the process of completing a research project on the effectiveness of the intervention. I am passionate about service development and enabling more people with complex trauma to be effectively treated to a point of recovery.
Sarah Lindley – Health Equity Fellow
My name is Sarah and I am a public health information analyst at Bradford Council. My role involves interpreting data and providing statistical and epidemiological analyses to support various public health projects, including health needs assessments, health impact assessments and inequalities analyses to improve the health and wellbeing of the population of Bradford District.
I have worked in various sectors including benefits assessment, debt management and education, and I completed my BA in social policy and sociology and MA in gender studies at the University of Leeds. However, it was during the Covid-19 pandemic that I really discovered my passion for public health. I worked as a support officer for local residents to ensure that their needs were being met while they were isolating due to infection. Listening to people talk about their problems and the difficulties they were experiencing, not only with the pandemic but with the inequalities that the pandemic highlighted, made me want to do more to make sure their voices were heard. I am interested in phenomenology and participatory research and am keen to develop my skills in these areas to ensure that the experiences of people are noticed and included in policy development.
Dr Jennifer Loke – Health Equity Fellow
Dr Jennifer Loke has a distinguished background in academia and nursing practice marked by her unwavering dedication to excellence in both nurse education and patient care. In 2019, after an illustrious 16-year tenure as a lecturer at the University of Hull, Dr Loke made a pivotal shift in her career. She reduced her academic hours and embraced a role as a nurse consultant at Park View Surgery in Hessle where she serves not only as a practice nurse, delivering hands-on clinical care, but also takes on the challenge to work at an advanced level of nursing practice. Her responsibilities in the GP practice also extend beyond patient care to encompass co-leading its business aspects.
Dr Loke's dedication as an academic and her commitment in both the clinical and administrative realms of primary care have cultivated a deep-seated passion for enhancing the landscape of primary healthcare. Her first-hand experience during the NHS digitalisation process has provided her with a profound insight into the operationalisation of the NHS digitalisation plan. Notably, she has identified concerns about potential unintended consequences affecting a vulnerable subset of NHS users, specifically the older patients who may be technophobic or technologically disabled. The consequence of the 2020 pandemic which coincided with the intensifying of the NHS digitisation initiatives underscored the accelerated pace of technological integration in healthcare. While the majority of NHS service users embraced and eagerly anticipated further technological advancements, Dr Loke observed the unintended consequences on older individuals who, due to technophobia or technological handicaps, found themselves disproportionately affected. This cohort not only faced challenges accessing GPs on an equal footing but also grappled with navigating a technologised NHS landscape.
Dr Loke is delighted to be awarded the Humber and North Yorkshire Health Fellowship Programme 2024 for she is certain that this fellowship programme presents an excellent opportunity to equip her with valuable knowledge and skills to develop consultations in GP practices for addressing these disparities. She is looking forward to sharing good knowledge, experience and best practice through the programme.
Megan McGonagle – Health Equity Fellow
I'm Megan McGonagle and I'm the Poverty and Health Inequalities Champion at Nimbuscare in York. I have a real interest in health inequalities which grew through my time studying at university. I look forward to the opportunity to learn further through the Humber and North Yorkshire Health Fellowship Programme and make a difference through my chosen project.
Debbie McKinney – Health Equity Fellow
Debbie McKinney is the Changing Futures Service Manager at Hull City Council, a multi-agency service supporting people with multiple unmet needs. Her extensive experience in managing complex needs services, drug and alcohol teams, and leading the delivery of regional projects to support vulnerable women and families for a national charity (Changing Lives), has been invaluable to the Changing Futures approach. Debbie leads a creative and multi-partner service that works to deliver a highly integrated approach to support people who have become locked in a cycle of homelessness, rough sleeping, addiction, offending behaviour, and poor physical and mental health - often underpinned by deep trauma. Debbie is passionate about health inequalities and has brought together health partners as part of Changing Futures to ensure the people supported have flexible access to healthcare.
Aimee McManus – ATR Fellow
As a preschool deputy manager and safeguarding lead, I am committed to helping people of all backgrounds have the best start in life. I work hard to build strong professional relationships and support other staff to view the 'bigger picture' when making judgments. I am committed to preventing, mitigating and avoiding retriggering trauma through a holistic, trauma-informed approach. I am a master’s student studying mental health in children and young people and I am excited to use my knowledge and experiences to make real changes and have an impact on people's lives.
Dr Ayesha Mian – Health Equity Fellow
Ayesha is a GP trainee with a background in drug policy reform based on a particular interest in health / social / economic equity and holistic, integrated health care. During her undergraduate degree in biomedical sciences, she completed a literature review entitled ‘The therapeutic opportunity around the endocannabinoid system’. This sparked a lifelong interest in exploring the impact of drug policy on society. Delving deeper into the complexities of this area, she attended and presented at numerous conferences, seminars and specialised summer graduate schools across Europe and North America. She also completed postgraduate degrees in public health and global health and an internship at Public Health England.
Aiming to put theory into practice by integrating social justice and public health-oriented approaches towards drug policy reform, Ayesha initially worked in the third sector as head of a UK based NGO (non-profit organisation) and then as communications manager for a network of European NGOs. Continuing to play an active role representing hidden voices by promoting knowledge equity through highlighting the value of lived experiences, she helped organise multiple knowledge sharing European-based NGO training workshops. This supported work to bring these voices to high level policy making forums at the United Nations' Commission on Narcotic Drugs (UNCND). It was at the UNCND that she facilitated the creation of an international network of youth-based organisations working in drug policy reform to exchange vital knowledge and resources. With a focus on advocating for patients, the marginalised and disenfranchised, she began studying medicine. As a doctor she continues to advocate for marginalised populations and is developing a career to promote increased equity in healthcare.
Lisa Moseley – Health Equity Fellow
I have worked at Yorkshire Sport for over 10 years. I started as a development officer working on a project to help people with a disability become more active. I now manage the community work we do in West Yorkshire. This includes working in geographical communities but also with communities of interest which help me continue the disability work. I am also involved in the Share the Learning series which is where we share place-based working across Yorkshire with other partners across Yorkshire and England.
I am a mum to two teenage children who are both very active - my son is a platform diver and my daughter is a rhythmic gymnast. I am the secretary of the diving club and a school governor.
I enjoy running to keep me both physically and mentally healthy.
Nikki Moses – Health Equity Fellow
My name is Nikki Moses and I live with my soon to be husband Mike. We have three beautiful children in our blended family. Mikey is 34, Harlie 20 and William will shortly turn 15. I am also mum to, two poochy babies, Olly and Henry. My hobbies are my family and being inspired by Masterchef to cook novel food concoctions for them, much to their annoyance at times.
Since August 2022 I have worked for the Alzheimer's Society as a local services manager and am honored to work with such talented and passionate people. Supporting people affected by dementia or cognitive impairment is my specialism and my professional passion.
In 2016, I achieved a lifelong goal of studying at university, spending three years at Hull, graduating with 2:1 (hons) in BSc psychology. I had all intentions of pursuing the clinical path but was swayed by the opportunity to study dementia with Hull at postgraduate level and in January 2022, graduated with MSc in dementia.
I have experience of working across the health and social care sector, working for a local authority for 24 years and more recently as a social prescriber for Modality PCN (primary care network), and then manager for the city’s homeless health team, where I worked with some inspirational people. This has motivated me to focus on adapting dementia support to people within the inclusion health populations and the professional and informal care networks around them.
Melanie Mott – ATR Fellow
I am an experienced integrative psychotherapist and have worked in NHS secondary mental health community teams since 2011. I have personal experience of mental health difficulties and understand from a broad perspective the challenges faced by people who reach out to services for help.
Since 2017 I have pursued a special interest in complex post traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD). I helped introduce the Seeking Safety group treatment into our team and have led in the delivery of this group treatment for the past five years. This treatment offers a dual diagnosis therapy approach to people who are excluded from other psychological recovery pathways because of the behaviours they have adopted to manage their trauma symptoms.
In 2019 the implementation of the Seeking Safety group was awarded the South West Yorkshire Trust (SWYT) excellence award for improving care. I am now involved with research into the Seeking Safety group to help grow knowledge and understanding of the application of this treatment in secondary care mental health in the UK, to champion its benefits as a first stage cPTSD intervention which can lead into more focused trauma processing work.
This exciting work is full of potential benefit both to clients and to the service and reflects the increasing need to offer a structured and clearly defined trauma informed pathway to clients. My hope is to grow the potential for more people with a history of complex trauma to be effectively treated to the point of recovery.
Catherine Musegedi – ATR Fellow
I work in mental health services and have worked in roles as a clinician and in leadership. I have experiences of mental health and learning disabilities services from both the insider and outsider perspective. This has triggered my interests in addressing health inequalities. l am keen to contribute to making positive changes for those accessing mental health and learning disability services and for the community as a whole.
Jacob Mutsvanemoto – Health Equity Fellow
I have a keen interest in public health and this Improving Population Health Fellowship provides an opportunity to explore it in-depth. Over the years I have witnessed how the positive changes diabetes prevention and management programmes have impacted people’s lives (both patients and their families). I want to continue to champion diabetes and achieve change at a more nuanced level using a person-centred approach to understand people’s experience, needs and capabilities, to improve patient care and outcomes, and to reduce health inequalities.
I hope to pursue a career in public health with an emphasis on population health management approaches to enable me to fully understand and develop tailored public health interventions. In the process, I would like to increase my knowledge of population health promotion, management and prevention.
Susan Narowski – Anti-Microbial Resistance Fellow
My employment is with South West Yorkshire Partnership Trust who I have worked for since 2010. I specialise in working with older people with acute mental health conditions and multiple comorbidities, covering a male ward and a female ward of 30 beds.
In 2010, I qualified as a registered mental health nurse.
In 2013, I completed a master's degree in tissue viability and wound care. Since this time, I have been taking the lead with wound care and supporting skin integrity.
In 2021, I successfully completed a master's degree in advancing practice. This has taken me to my current role where I work alongside a multi-disciplinary team assessing, treating and reviewing patient care needs.
Chloe Nicholson – Health Equity Fellow
Chloe initially qualified in law, gaining an LLB and an LLM in Law and Ethics in Healthcare. Whilst training as a solicitor, she moved in a different direction into the NHS following the Harold Shipman case, as this case brought renewed oversight and rigour to healthcare which offered opportunities for Chloe’s skill set.
With a career in NHS management spanning 20 years, focusing on assurance, compliance and commissioning, Chloe has extensive experience of cross boundary working and developing integrated approaches to delivering patient-centred, high-quality services.
Working in the North Lincolnshire area, the creation of integrated care boards offers a unique opportunity to work collaboratively with system partners to target and reduce health inequalities in the locality.
In addition to caring for a young family, Chloe enjoys walking the Viking Way and completing Joe Wicks' fitness programmes.
Princess Nwaobi – Health Equity Fellow
I am deeply passionate about understanding the experiences of individuals and communities facing health disparities. My belief is that by uncovering common challenges across diverse cultures regarding healthcare access, we can drive improvements in health equity and quality of services provided. As a dedicated quality co-ordinator, I actively contribute to projects aimed at enhancing healthcare access and improving the quality of services in both primary and secondary settings, currently working with the quality team in the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB). My research focuses on raising awareness among health professionals about the unique needs and experiences of health disparate populations, informing the development of targeted training programmes.
Beyond my commitment to improving quality and health equity, I find joy in simple pleasures like watching movies and listening to music, which provide a welcome balance to the demands of my work. Additionally, I enjoy a good laugh while surfing the internet – a delightful escape from the day-to-day challenges we navigate in the healthcare landscape.
Dr Vanessa Oo – Health Equity Fellow
I am a GP in York and a Hull York Medical School tutor. I have always been interested in issues experienced by marginalised groups. At medical school, I did a self-selected study module in refugee health and later did an intercalated BSc in International Health at UCL. As a GP trainee, I worked with a homeless charity, Single Homeless Project, to set up walking groups across London which went on to win an award from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). I believe that tackling health inequity is vitally important to upholding the values of the NHS and I look forward to prioritising this. I would like to link with local groups in York to make relationships with primary care and improve health equity.
Tess Owen – Health Equity Fellow
My name is Tess and currently I am partnerships and strategy officer at Humber Teaching Foundation Trust where I am co-ordinating a programme of activity regarding health inequalities across the trust. My role is varied and some of my work includes supporting staff and teams, working with corporate colleagues to ensure that health inequalities have been considered in all aspects of our work, and developing relationships with community partner organisations.
A combination of work and life experiences brought me to apply for this fellowship programme. After university, I worked for many years in the voluntary sector where I held a variety of roles from being a frontline mental health practitioner to being a senior leader of mental health, criminal justice, housing and community services across North and West Yorkshire.
This has allowed me to develop a significant amount of experience in co-production and working collaboratively with communities and individuals with lived experience. I have seen the positive change these relationships can make to services and the wider system, and the potential to address health inequalities. My experiences of working closely with marginalised communities and complex cohorts deepened my understanding and passion for ensuring the health and social care system responds to needs accordingly.
I am also passionate about ensuring the workforce is equipped with the skills and support it needs to achieve strategic ambitions. My leadership experiences have increased my understanding of how to engage, develop and support the workforce to navigate and address such complex issues.
Emily Randall – Health Equity Fellow
As the public health lead for commissioning in the East Riding, I have a deep passion for improving the health and wellbeing of the people in our community, especially those who face the greatest challenges and barriers. I have a blend of experience in the charity and voluntary sector, children's services, adult social care and public health, as well as being lucky enough to jointly run the council's disabled staff network. These opportunities have provided me with an appreciation of the diversity and strength within our communities and networks, and the complexity of the issues we face. I am committed to driving transformative change as a Health Equity Fellow. The Core20PLUS5 approach says we should be giving specific consideration to the inclusion of young carers and I'm pleased that I will be working collaboratively with children's services and system partners to co-produce innovative and sustainable solutions for our region's young carers. This is an amazing opportunity for me and I feel privileged to be able to use my experience to make a positive difference to our residents during challenging times.
Claire Reed – Health Equity Fellow
I have worked within the NHS for over 15 years in both clinical and non-clinical roles. Training as a children’s nurse, working in both physical and mental health services, has not only shaped my clinical skills and knowledge but instilled in me an understanding of the challenges faced within healthcare and the impact to patients, families and carers.
Drawing on my clinical experience and passion for providing a high standard of care, I transitioned into contributing to the improvement of healthcare systems and processes and patient outcomes. Through collaboration with teams and services I have been actively engaged in supporting the identification of areas for improvement, facilitation of workshops, delivery of training and fostering a culture of continuous improvement across Bradford District Care Trust (BDCT). This dual perspective of blending the nurturing aspect of nursing with a commitment to systematic improvements has enabled me to contribute to the mission of elevating the quality and efficacy of healthcare whilst ensuring the patient remains at the heart.
As a mother of three children, I am driven to make a lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of the next generation.
Outside of work I enjoy keeping fit, spending time with family as well as my role as an on-call firefighter.
Dr Joseph Ridler – ATR Fellow
I am a clinical psychologist working in mental health rehabilitation and acute inpatient services within the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. I have specialised in working in inpatient mental health services since my final year of clinical training and am passionate about trauma informed practice (TIP). I am also interested in complex mental health, the measurement of outcomes, and staff wellbeing.
I see on a regular basis the sheer strength and resilience of people who have experienced trauma. However, the demands and complexities of the inpatient service environment have the potential to be challenging or retraumatising for trauma survivors. This can impact people's experiences of care and relationships with services and highlights the importance of centring TIP in service development and provision.
Through my experience working clinically in inpatient mental health settings, as well as through co-developing, implementing and delivering TIP training for inpatient MDT (multi-disciplinary teams) staff, I have personally seen how a cohesive TIP approach can positively impact on the experiences of both people accessing our services and staff.
I am excited to use this fellowship to contribute towards the trauma informed organisation programme for my trust, as well as expand our understanding of TIP across similar services. I am also excited to take the opportunity to learn and develop my own practice and seek to provide people with the best possible experience of mental health services.
Hayden Ridsdale – Health Equity Fellow
Hi, my name is Hayden. I’m currently a strategy and transformation senior programme manager working for the integrated care board ICB). My role spans various strategic priorities with a portfolio that includes dentistry, the Fuller Report and primary care, and broader system strategy work.
I joined the ICB formally in March 2023 but had been working in the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership since March 2021 through the NHS Graduate Scheme. Between March 2021 and February 2023 I held five different roles in a range of areas including: race equality, tackling health inequalities, the establishment of an ICB directorate, psychological services management; and within the mental health collaborative.
I enjoyed my time and all the outstanding opportunities so much that staying within West Yorkshire was all I wanted. Now I’m excited to get into the Health Equity Fellowship and build on the skillset I’ve developed to date – enhancing my knowledge and improving how I deliver health equity through my strategic role.
Outside of work I enjoy football, basketball and caring for my ever-growing herd of animals!
Ian Robertson – Health Equity Fellow
Ian is currently part of the data analytics team at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside and the Humber Violence Prevention Partnership (HVPP). He first gained an interest in population health and public health approaches when he started work on the Public Health Approaches to Reducing Domestic Abuse (PHADA) programme in 2020.
Within his role, he has two keen interests. Firstly, exploring healthcare data to better understand the five W’s (Who, What, When, Where, Why) of those involved and those most at risk of becoming involved in serious violence and domestic abuse. Secondly, the development of a multi-agency analyst network to help build the best picture of injury surveillance in the Humber region and to better promote the excellent work completed by analysts in this field.
Dr Spencer Robinson – Health Equity Fellow
I have a portfolio role working across both academia and in the NHS. I work part-time as the deputy director for the Institute for Health and Care Improvement at York St John University and part-time with the Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance as a senior manager working across the primary and secondary interface, supporting change and improvement within cancer pathways.
I have a medical science PhD from Hull York Medical School and have an interest in the early diagnosis of cancer, clinical reasoning and recognition and referral behaviours within general practice. Within my NHS career I have worked across many differing tiers of the NHS from primary care, secondary care to sub regional, regional, and national levels. My area of expertise and interest has evolved over the last 24 years working within improvement, change and system and large-scale change, health related behavioural science / behaviour change focusing on their health inequalities and public health priority areas.
Over the last 15 years I have become more subspecialised within a cancer context and have been involved in local, regional and national cancer improvement programmes, implementing innovation and change across local and wider health systems.
Gaynor Rogers – Health Equity Fellow
I am a senior project officer with the Humber and North Yorkshire ICB in North East Lincolnshire place with a focus on diabetes, weight management, CVD (cardiovascular disease) detection and prevention, and respiratory conditions. I have led on the facilitation of outreach clinics for Covid and flu vaccinations in areas of low uptake within communities and wards in North East Lincolnshire. My past roles include managerial positions in banking, education, and local government. I have been an elected member in a ward within the top 10% of indices of multiple deprivation in England and have a special interest in health inequalities and social justice. I am a trustee of the local Citizens’ Advice Bureau. I have a BSc (Hons) degree from the Open University and a diploma in social policy and criminology.
I live with my partner Paul, son Lucas and rescue staffy, Bessie.
Alicia Rose – Health Equity Fellow
Having completed my undergraduate and master’s degree in psychology at the University of York I became the research and intelligence officer for Healthwatch North Yorkshire at the end of 2021. In this role I conduct quantitative and qualitative research to gather patient experiences of health and social care services. I produce reports from this research and work with stakeholders to ensure the public’s voice is used to inform service delivery and strategy.
I hold both a personal and organisational commitment to ensuring our work has the maximum impact on the communities we serve, particularly those facing health inequalities. I am therefore looking forward to undertaking the fellowship programme and having the opportunity to work on a project focused on reducing health inequalities and improving health outcomes.
Gary Sainty – Health Equity Fellow
I have been in my current role as Head of VCSE (voluntary, community and social enterprise) at Humber and North Yorkshire (HNY) Health and Care Partnership (HCP) for over two and a half years. The role is in place to connect the VCSE sector across HNY with health and care and to ensure the VCSE sector is seen as an equal strategic partner in the partnership. In the role I have spent most of my time working within the partnership to advocate the role of the VCSE sector and the impact it has, whilst in parallel working at a place level to connect with VCSE organisations. I lead a team within the HNY HCP that deliver on the ambition and priorities of our VCSE collaborative, and I am keen to ensure my learning from this programme is shared with my colleagues.
Prior to this role, I worked in the VCSE sector and spent 14 years at a charity, Active Humber, where I left as the deputy CEO. The role here started out around sport for sports sake and however over the years, became more around physical activity and the impact and benefits it has on both individuals health and other societal factors.
Away from work I have a family with my wife and two young daughters. I am a keen sportsman; not very good at many sports but I like to try. I am the Chair of the Hull Kingston Rovers Foundation and am a governor at the local primary school.
Sharon Sanders – Health Equity Fellow
I am a senior leader with over 20 years’ experience of delivering digital transformation and change programmes in the public and private sectors. I am a fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management and a qualified programme and change management practitioner.
I am passionate about working with individuals and teams to navigate changes, empowering them with the skills and ability to thrive in a new way of working, ensuring they are equipped for now and the future. I turn 'can’t' into 'can'.
The pandemic brought to life the importance of digital connection for me. My husband has leukaemia and is clinically extremely vulnerable, we continue to shield which is a challenge after nearly four years. However, I am grateful that we have access to technology that supports us to manage his health, secure food, and medication deliveries, and communicate with others. I am acutely aware that not everyone is as fortunate. I believe that everyone should have a right to internet connection and the ability to engage in the digital world.
I am really looking forward to working with GP practices to support their patients to access digital health support.
Jacqui Serbeh – Anti-Microbial Resistance Fellow
Jacqui Serbeh is my name, and I am a nurse by profession. As well as being a registered nurse, I also hold qualifications in midwifery, public health, non-medical prescribing and master’s degree in health promotion.
I am currently working as a senior sexual health nurse / health advisor in Leeds sexual health services. I am also a faculty trainer (faculty of sexual and reproductive health) and a mentor.
As a senior nurse, I am passionate about ensuring high quality services for the service users, as well as collaborating with managers and voluntary organisations to improve outcomes of the service users who might require the care and support of our services.
Working as a senior nurse / health advisor has also enabled me to utilise the strength and expertise of the team and prioritise the service users' most urgent needs, ensuring patient safety as the forefront of everything I do.
Gemma Smith – ATR Fellow
My current role involves supporting community partnerships (made up of a range of partners health, VCSE and primary care) to respond to community needs aimed at reducing health inequalities using local data and intelligence. Community partnerships aim to make best use of resource across the system and allocate local funding opportunities to address identified gaps and barriers.
I have a youth and community development background and have had a varied career which includes community food projects, community arts and most recently I have led a VCSE perinatal peer support service. Prior to that I led Sure Start children centres for a number of years.
Sunita Sokhal – Health Equity Fellow
My name is Sunita Kaur Sokhal and I am currently working as an occupational therapist on a neurosciences rotation at Leeds Teaching Hospital. I have strong interest in health inequalities, developed through a number of personal and professional experiences. I am excited to see what opportunities for change this fellowship experience will bring. As well as the potential impact it can have on standards of care, particularly within the area of neurological rehabilitation.
Stacey Stanton – Health Equity Fellow
My name is Stacey Stanton. I am a GPhC registered pharmacy technician having completed training at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust before joining the North Yorkshire and York Medicines Management Team within Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (formally North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group).
I am currently on secondment, providing essential project support to integrating community pharmacies within primary care across the Humber and North Yorkshire system. My primary focus is supporting with Independent Prescribing (IP) Pathfinder Programme within community pharmacies, as well as the implementation of the NHS Pharmacy First Advanced Service which recognises the increasing role community pharmacy has in delivering clinical services.
I am interested in learning more about health inequalities and understanding what changes I can make to tackle inequalities within Humber and North Yorkshire to enable better integration of community pharmacies in the wider network. This would result in a positive impact on patient choice and better health outcomes.
My personal motivation comes from having experienced health inequalities myself trying to access healthcare services to meet my needs. This is due to me being a type 1 insulin dependent diabetic of 29 years, a single parent to a 10-year-old girl, living in Harrogate and working full time.
Alison Szustakowsi – Health Equity Fellow
My name is Alison Szustakowski and I’m a CVD (cardiovascular disease) prevention transformation programme lead with the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board. I have 22 years’ experience of working in a local authority setting, with a significant proportion of this time working on poverty and inequalities in our most deprived communities. The focus of my fellowship project stems from this work, both in terms of understanding the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and how trauma informed practice can be a key driver for change. My current role encompasses primary prevention work, in partnership with local government, and secondary prevention approaches around identifying and optimising the management of existing CVD risk factors. Through this fellowship opportunity I would like to look at how we could apply a trauma informed approach to CVD prevention to recognise and mitigate the impact of adversity and high allostatic load on the risk of developing CVD and other long-term conditions.
Oliver Timms – Health Equity Fellow
I am a public health advanced practitioner in Bradford, working in the children and young people team. One of the main elements of my current portfolio is developing the Living Well Schools programme, a whole-systems approach to creating health promoting settings in schools, through direct facilitated support and connecting schools to community offers.
As a former primary school teacher, I have seen first-hand the profound impact of social determinants on children’s health and the diverse challenges that many communities face. I am passionate about improving the life chances of all children, particularly across Bradford, and making it a more equitable future for all, moving away from individual responsibility to creating a supportive district that mitigates the socio-economic factors that contribute to health disparities.
Daisy Unsworth – ATR Fellow
Daisy is an adult nurse, emergency department sister and clinical operations manager for BLOSM at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT). Daisy is committed to changing the culture by providing trauma informed care and training to improve patient experience, staff wellbeing and population health for the community we care for.
Elly Wakeling – Health Equity Fellow
I am a pharmacist prescriber and have worked in primary care for a number of years now. I love talking to patients about their medication use and exploring ways to empower them with their health. I am always struck by the power of a conversation which puts the patient, their personal circumstances and their beliefs at the centre. I am just as often frustrated at how difficult these conversations can be to fit into our standard model of healthcare, and that’s just for people who are able access healthcare appointments in the first place. There are many, many reasons people do not or cannot access healthcare and I firmly believe it is down to healthcare providers to understand these reasons and provide a service that takes these into account, rather than for individuals and communities to simply start responding in different ways.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) can result from common conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Prevalence of CKD is increasing exponentially because of these conditions yet understanding of the links and consequences remains poor, particularly in underserved communities. I am keen to explore patient-centred and community-centred ways to improve understanding of all three of these conditions, and to identify and implement effective preventive interventions to support those most at risk of CKD.
Jennie Walker – Health Equity Fellow
I am the health inequalities lead at Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance. This is a new role and my remit is to work alongside colleagues in population health, primary, secondary, voluntary and community care to ensure that we recognise the health inequalities that exist in Humber and North Yorkshire for people with a cancer diagnosis, and for those who are at risk of developing the disease.
I’m passionate about reducing the health inequalities that our communities and populations face. I have lived in and worked with communities across this region for several years. My role is to ensure that those who have lived experienced of inequalities in their lives, in their cancer diagnosis and in their treatment pathways, are heard. That their experience is utilised to design and build services that are inclusive and responsive to the needs of those who are most vulnerable. The role involves collaboration with colleagues across the integrated care system (ICS) and nationally, to ensure that we weave consideration of Health Inequalities into everything that we do.
I am an NHS manager with extensive experience working in acute care in the Humber and North Yorkshire area. I am looking forward to the challenge of the Health Fellowship Programme and to learn skills that will help facilitate change on a regional scale.
Katie Ward – Health Equity Fellow
I have been a children's nurse for over 20 years and have had the privilege to work with children and their families spanning acute, tertiary and community settings within the NHS and voluntary sector. I remain passionate about supporting the best health outcomes for children and young people, with a focus for those children and young people living with long term conditions. My clinical practice over the last 24 years continues to inspire me to identify and reduce the barriers and health inequalities this group of children and young people face. In my current role I am supported to advocate and seek mechanisms through co-production with children and families and colleagues across various disciplines to drive transformation to services.
Catherina Westwood – Suicide Prevention Fellow
Hello, my name is Catherina Westwood. I’m a mental health nurse by background and have worked predominantly in working age general adult mental health services encompassing acute inpatient and community services as both a clinician, manager and leader within South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust (SWPFT) for almost 21 years. Currently I’m an operational clinical lead for the trauma informed personality disorder pathway across Kirklees. I have a passion and drive for developing and delivering services with and for individuals who have experienced trauma and adversity.
I am a guest lecturer at local universities. This enables me to positively influence and motivate mental health student nurses at the start of their journey to supporting and delivering care to service users and their families. I am nearing the end of editing a chapter in a student nurse textbook which has enabled me to highlight the most up-to-date culture and values that student nurses entering the first stages of their careers should possess.
Rachael White – Health Equity Fellow
My name is Rachael White and I am currently employed by City Health Care Partnership (CHCP) Hull as a clinical operations manager for CHCP and CHPL GP practices. Part of this role includes managing the newly-formed inclusion service within one of the practices to support the most vulnerable and socially excluded patients in our practice.
I am a registered nurse and health visitor and have a real interest in and passion for ensuring excluded patients have the same access to healthcare as mainstream practice patients. I fully support the ethos of inclusive practice and trauma informed care, understanding the impact and effects of adverse events in someone’s life journey. My practice has always been to understand another’s point of view and support or empower patients to access healthcare by building relationships and being open and transparent.
I am looking forward to developing my proposal for this fellowship and meeting other professionals on the programme to share good practice and learn from each other.
Vanessa Williams – ATR Fellow
My name is Vanessa. My journey has included working in mental health third sector organisations in Leeds for many years, recognising the importance of diverse perspectives in providing effective care and blending cultural elements into interventions. Recently, I took a bold entrepreneurial step by opening my own practice, providing a platform to navigate trauma-informed care with greater ownership.
Through experience, I've actively shaped and promoted trauma-informed practices by overseeing patient and public involvement, conducting informative and engaging workshops, and strategically advocating for inclusivity at every stage of healthcare delivery within my senior roles in the third sector.
Chloe Yates – ATR Fellow
I am the programme support officer for the children, young people and families programme and our goal is to reduce inequalities within healthcare for all children and young people across West Yorkshire.
I started my career as an apprentice in business administration for a private health and safety company and continued my development within health and safety for seven years with two organisations. After feeling my career growth was limited, I joined the West Yorkshire ICB as the project support assistant within the planned care team for a year.
In November 2022, I joined the West Yorkshire ICB children, young people and families programme as programme support officer. I love working amongst such an inspiring and dedicated team who strive for children, young people, and their families. This role has developed my passion for supporting children and young people across West Yorkshire and reducing the inequalities they face.
Laura Young – Health Equity Fellow
After 12 years’ experience of working in the sport and physical activity sector within a variety of settings, including local authorities, national governing bodies (NGBs), community sports clubs and active partnerships. The latest programme I have been involved in is the holiday activities and food programme for North Yorkshire. The programme ensures that children and young people eligible for benefits-related free school meals have access to quality and enriching activities over key holiday periods, as well as providing healthy meals to eligible children. I am about to undertake a role within the North Yorkshire public health team with a focus on physical activity and embedding physical activity across broader systems. Beyond work I enjoy practicing yoga and staying active with my family.