We can move mountains – reflections from the Health Equity Network conference

A mark of a good conference is that it makes me fundamentally rethink what I do and how I do it. 

In 2019, an impressive session on positive deviance from the Scottish Government at the World Social Marketing Conference in Edinburgh helped spark a shift in how Claremont saw behaviour change. We later adopted a ‘bright spots’ approach to interventions on flexible working and community safety, among other challenges. 

In early 2024, a compelling presentation from Professor Sir Michael Marmot at the Behavioural Science and Public Health Network conference in Liverpool inspired me to reshape our purpose, vision, and strategy around the Marmot principles and the need for upstream action. 

As I headed back down the East Coast Mainline from Newcastle yesterday from the Health Equity Network conference, I had that same tingling feeling again.  

Reasons for hope 

What struck me most was how much deeply thoughtful work is happening across our regions, especially in the North of England, to apply the Marmot principles, think long-term and embrace complexity.  

There is evidence of a growing recognition that health isn’t just about hospitals. It’s about education, good work, housing, the built environment, affordable transport and energy, community infrastructure, and the opportunities that help people imagine a different future. 

I was especially moved by hearing from Prof Alice Wiseman, the Director of Public Health and Wellbeing for Gateshead and Newcastle, who shared a deeply personal story of growing up in hardship, being a teenage mum and working incredibly hard to provide for her daughter and build a life. She talked about the people who believed in her and supported her, but also about the many people in her shoes who don’t get the same breaks. 

It was refreshing to hear from political leaders in the North East who are throwing their weight behind long-term strategies that have the potential to survive political cycles, and build a lasting legacy of reduced inequality. 

And it was wonderful to hear again from Prof Marmot, who reinforced how essential this political leadership is, and who filled the room with optimism with his closing call to arms: “together we can move mountains”. 

Time for reflection and redoubling our efforts 

But it wasn’t just the keynotes that affected me. I had so many great conversations with organisations doing brilliant work. I enjoyed sharing some of our own work, with our poster describing the citizen-led approach we took to helping North East London Cancer Alliance develop a health inequalities strategy.

I left hopeful and energised. I know I will spend the coming months reflecting carefully on what I heard, and talking with colleagues about what this means for what we do at Claremont and what contribution we can make. 

One thing is already certain: I have redoubled my resolve for Claremont to deepen its focus on upstream drivers of health and wellbeing, to support clients who are ready to meaningfully collaborate with communities to this end, and to help build a national effort that actually moves the numbers on the measures that matter: narrowing inequality in child mortality, educational equity and healthy life expectancy.