Associates

Nick is an independent health promotion consultant, and a research associate of the University of Oxford BHF Health Promotion Research Group. He specialises in the development of policy and programmes on physical activity and sport and sustainable transport.

He is currently a specialist advisor to the National Obesity Observatory, and a member of the recent Guidelines Development Group for the Chief Medical Officer’s report on physical activity. He is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund policy panel for their recent report on diet nutrition and physical activity, and has recently published a review of economic appraisal of walking and cycling for the World Health Organization, and a report on the links between the built environment and health.

He has worked at both Departments of Health and Transport, and was formerly at the Health Education Authority, where he was head of the physical activity programme from 1994-2000.

Recent projects undertaken with HM Partnerships include:

• Researching and producing an online toolkit for commissioners of physical activity, nutrition and mental health projects
• Evaluating the EuroHeart2 European research project
• Supporting the physical activity section of the NCD Prevention policy review

Mark is the Director of Haig Associates, he possesses an extensive background and qualifications in public health development and delivery.

Mark is responsible for the ongoing development of the European ‘Healthy Stadia’ Programme with partners from Heart of Mersey and European Work Package Leads. Working with HM Partnerships to develop a Wigan Borough Healthy Stadia Programme and Impact Assessment Tool.

As well as developing the healthy stadia programme with a number of national and international stadia Mark has specifically managed the LFC ‘Action for Health’ Programme for Liverpool Football Club. This is the Clubs response to healthy stadia and includes extensive development of community partnerships to promote and deliver health initiatives, a club employee health programme and stadia specific developments such as recycling and match day litter collection.

An extensively funded Local Partnership Agreement was developed between LFC and Liverpool PCT that has the club as a hub to management, delivery and commissioning of local health projects. This is underpinned by a partnership agreement between the club and Liverpool University to provide ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

Recent projects undertaken with HM Partnerships include:

• Brief intervention training and development of the brief intervention e-learning package
• Sustainability review of the Health Trainer and Worklessness project

Jo currently coordinates the Sub-regional tobacco control programme across Cheshire and Merseyside, working with eight Primary Care Trusts, nine Local Authorities and a population of 2.6 million people. She facilitates a strategic overview for tobacco control and support the development of tobacco policy and management of initiatives at a local strategic partnership level.

Current and recent work includes:

• Sub-regional illicit Tobacco Training Programme for Local Tobacco Control Alliances, Stop Smoking Services and the Police
• Sub-regional Smokefree Mental Health Programme – this includes the delivery of smoking cessation brief intervention and specialist practitioner training; development and delivery of service user resources (DVD, viral and booklets) and the development of clinical care pathways
• Development and Delivery of Bespoke, Sub-regional training on Display and Age of Tobacco Sales for PCTs, LA Trading Standards departments and retailers to increase awareness of, and compliance with, underage sales legislation
• Sub-regional facilitation of the Regional ‘Quit with Us’ Database for Local Stop Smoking Services and development of monitoring systems for COPD, CHD and Diabetes QIPP groups
• Sub-regional Coordination of a Secondary Care Pathway Programme to standardise smoking cessation training, prescribing and referral systems across 17 hospitals
• Advocacy to Support and Retain National Legislation to Remove Tobacco Points of Sale and Sales from Vending Machines (Health Bill 2009)
• Sub-regional implementation of a voluntary smokefree code of practice within children’s play areas of Local Authority parks – this includes the development and delivery of smokefree policies, smokefree training for park wardens and rangers and public information resources

Jo also independently delivers a national Men’s Health training programme, which aims to equip health and community workers with the knowledge and skills to increase male utilisation of healthy lifestyle programmes and mainstream services.

Debra is an independent consultant in health improvement and public health with over 17 years experience working both in the NHS and with the NHS at both a strategic and operational level. Her specific areas of interest are health-enhancing physical activity and obesity across the life course.

Recently Debra has worked on a range of contracts which include physical activity audits on behalf of the Department of Health (DH): East Midlands and DH: North West, to ascertain the current level of investment and provision in relation to physical activity across these regions. Prior to this Debra worked as Programme Manager for the Cross Government Obesity Unit.

Recent projects undertaken with HM Partnerships, include:

• Wigan Physical Activity – Review of Evidence Base for Physical activity, Green Spaces and Health
• The North West Commissioning Toolkit
• Review of Evidence base for Falls Prevention

Nicky had worked in the NHS for 24 years before leaving in February 2011. She had spent 17 years in a clinical role before moving onto new roles in public health which included community development and building public health workforce capacity and capability in Sefton. This included NHS staff but also the wider public health workforces including social care staff and voluntary sector colleagues, staff and volunteers.

A training needs analysis was carried out which identified that up to date knowledge of the key health promotion messages and the delivery of brief interventions within the NHS, partner organisations and communities was a key priority. Competencies were then developed through a range of public health training and development programmes available across different sectors.

Nicky was successful in winning some funding from the Department of Health Innovation award. The programme and training  package -Understanding Health Improvement ( Royal Society for Public Health level 2) was used to further develop partnership working. Training was rolled out to partners including Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, Merseytravel, Sefton Carers centre, staff in Leisure services and teaching assistants in schools. The training was delivered by staff from a range of organisations using the Train the Trainer approach. The people trained in RSPH level 2 will be developed into Health Champions within their organisations and supported by an  ongoing network structure.