Reflecting on BNU's successful Public Health Awareness week
In November BNU held Public Health Awareness Week for the university and local communities, where public health was celebrated and conversations about wellness were encouraged.
The university was proud to host SAPHNA’s (School and Public Health Nurses Association) annual conference where Sir Michael Marmot, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London, delivered a keynote address titled ‘Health Inequalities; Children and Young People.’
Sir Michael Marmot was commissioned by the previous Labour government to adapt his recommendations of WHO (World Health Organisation) for England, which produced the Marmot review, titled ‘Fair Society Health Lives’ and focused on six main recommendations with a further two later added.
SallyAnn Sutton, Professional Officer at SAPHNA highlighted the hopefulness of the future of school nursing, presenting snippets of the findings and recommendations from SAPHNA’s inaugural survey.
Mel Hayward spoke at the SAPHNA conference at BNU
She also looked at the importance of practitioner intelligence, emphasising the significance of hearing from people on the front line working with young people and analysing the trends in health and wellbeing in school children and young people.
The Deputy Chief Public Health Nurse for England, Jamie Waterall, spoke about inspiring a new direction for nursing and midwifery in England as well as looking at how professionals should respond to the 21st century challenges for public health professions to really create impact.
BNU’s Associate Professor – Education: Quality Assurance and Enhancement, Mel Hayward, introduced NASNA, National Association of School Nurse Academics, (formally NFSHE), and delivered an engaging presentation on safeguarding.
She finished by looking at what makes school nursing so valuable when it comes to safeguarding children, especially in the prevention sphere.
The conference ended with Professor Karen Buckwell-Nutt, Director of the Institute for Health and Social Care, awarding presentations, ahead of the closing remarks delivered by Maggie Clarke, Non- Executive Director at SAPHNA.
Throughout the rest of the week, students, staff and the local community attended the Wellbeing Fair in the Winter Garden and learned how to administer CPR at Restart at Heart sessions.
Three public health focused podcasts were also released, featuring BNU experts in discussion with incredible individuals who play a vital role in encouraging conversations around public health.
The first episode, Health Equity Uncovered, sees Melanie Hayward speak to Adetoro Adeyemi Adegoke, Professor in Health Inequalities, Institute of Health Social Care, examining what health and wellbeing equity means for people who live and work within the Buckinghamshire region.
Watch the first episode, Health Equity Uncovered, above.
In the second episode, Karen Buckwell-Nutt talks to Phoenix Lifestyle Innovations founder Lewis Baker about his battle with alcohol addiction and seeking help from The Oasis Partnership.
The final podcast sees The Oasis Partnership CEO Colin McGregor-Paterson sit down with BNU’s Senior Community Officer, Charmain Clayton to talk about ADHD, substance misuse and the link to criminal behaviour.
Listen to all Public Health Awareness Week podcasts here: