Can you tell us about your current role and where you work? 

I work as a Public Health Practitioner at St Helens Council, leading on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Smoking Cessation and Workplace Health.  

What is your favourite part of your role? 

Making a difference to peoples lives and having the privilege of being an advocate for the vulnerable.  

Can you give us an overview of your career path into public health and what support could have helped with this? 

I originally gained a graduate role within HR at St Helens Council. After two and a half years, a job came up in Public Health to support on business and invoices. I was successful in gaining the role and it wasn’t long before I realised that I had found the career path for me. I wasn’t in a job any more, I was in a career I was passionate about.  

In your role, how do you support/improve the public’s health and wellbeing? 

Commissioning services, overseeing a suicide prevention strategy and action plan, promoting the publics health and wellbeing.  

What are the biggest challenges you are facing within your role right now? 

Lack of funding, increases in health inequalities.  

What area(s) of public health are you the most passionate about? 

Mental health 

What advice would you give to someone considering joining the wider public health workforce? 

Say yes to the mess, embrace the chaos and remember that the whole population is your patient.  

What do you think the next 10 years looks like for public health? 

Hopefully an increase in support for vulnerable people and a reduction in health inequalities.