What is your current role?
My current role is working in the Social Prescribing Programme at NHS England. It’s estimated that one in five of the people who go to see their GP report issues that can’t be cured by medical treatment, such as social isolation and loneliness, poor housing and money worries. Our programme is responsible for introducing Social Prescribing into the NHS, including supporting new Social Prescribing Link Workers into Primary Care Networks.
What are your main areas of interest?
My main area of interest is health inequalities and the wider determinants of health, particularly for people with a learning disability. I’m particularly interested in the extent to which health policy is influenced by patient voice, and how this might be different or less for policies concerning specific population groups.
What did you most enjoy about your course?
I’ve really enjoyed the academic theory behind policy-making and real life examples of how the theory does not always translate into practice! I also appreciate that the course covers both national and global perspectives; it’s helpful to learn about how policy-making and health systems are approached across the globe and the common issues and barriers, as well as the differences.
What did you most appreciate about the Faculty/College?
The college and faculty are incredibly multi-cultural and the course therefore presents lots of different perspectives – the variety of lecturers and their specialist topic or area of research is amazing and really makes you feel like you are getting a broad range of experiences and opinions presented to you.