Reflecting on 2024: A Message from the FPH President

Kevin Fenton

Immediate past-President, Faculty of Public Health

As we approach the end of another busy year for public health, I wanted to reflect on some of the achievements of the Faculty and the extraordinary contribution of our members during the past 12 months. This December marks not only the close of 2024, but also the final six months of my Presidency. It has been a privilege to work alongside such dedicated colleagues during my term of office and I am immensely proud of the progress we have made together.

Public health has faced increasingly complex challenges amid evolving geopolitical circumstances, shifting health systems, and emerging threats at local, regional, national, and global levels. Yet, our community has responded with professionalism, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to the health of the populations we serve at local, regional, national, and international level.

A Year of Impact and Collaboration

None of our achievements would have been possible without the tireless commitment of our members. From Special Interest Groups to Local Board Members, CPD Advisors, and Examiners, your contributions have enabled the Faculty to deliver critical programmes that support public health professionals and champion health equity. Together, we continue to shape a diverse, inclusive, and future-ready public health workforce, while amplifying our voice as leaders and advocates for better health for all.

Among the highlights of 2024 were significant strides in advocacy, policy, and professional standards:

• Vision for the Public’s Health: We launched our strategic priorities for advancing public health, reducing inequalities, and boosting economic productivity ahead of the 2024 UK General Election.

• Childhood Nutrition Report: A report on childhood nutrition, endorsed by over 30 MPs and featured in national media which spotlighted to health impacts of childhood food poverty.

• Supporting a Fair Training Culture: We published a major report on differential attainment in Faculty examinations, representing the second phase of our multi-year project to support a Fair Training Culture and equity across the Public Health career pathway.

• Climate Leadership: The Faculty was recognised as a leader on climate change and sustainability, placing first in the Royal Medical College Climate and Health Scorecard Initiative.

• Professional Standards: We updated the Good Public Health Practice guidance, supporting robust standards of practice for public health specialists and practitioners across the UK.

• Digital Innovation: We launched our new e-Portfolio, offering registrars greater flexibility to manage their training and career progression, and enhanced the FPH Members’ Portal to provide improved security and usability.

• Covid-19 Inquiry Contribution: We played a crucial role in highlighting the impact of health and social inequalities during the UK Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 report.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Looking ahead to the Faculty’s Annual General Meeting in June 2025, I am delighted to congratulate our newly elected colleagues who will take the organisation forward: Tracy Daszkiewicz as President, Zafar Iqbal as Vice-President, and our three new General Board Members, Samia Latif, Ana-Catarina Pinho-Gomes, and Eleanor Roaf. I have every confidence that the Faculty will continue to go from strength-to-strength under their leadership.

The coming year promises to be another pivotal one for public health, with both challenges and opportunities on the horizon. With your continued support, we will:

• Transition Leadership: Welcome our new President, Vice-President, and General Board Members at the June AGM and ensure the Faculty continues to play a strong and vital leadership role in public health practice and policy, at home and abroad.

• Set a Long-Term Vision: Develop a new five-year Organisational Strategy to take the Faculty to 2030, with clear objectives and impactful actions to support our members at every stage of their career, whilst positioning the Faculty as a visible and proactive partner for health and care system leadership, transformation and delivery.

• Advance Equity in Training: Implement recommendations from our 2024 Fair Training Culture report to improve equity across the public health career pathway, promoting public health leadership in anti-racism, and supporting our membership in understanding, advocating for and tackling health inequalities.

• Advocate for the Public Health Workforce: Champion pay equity, appropriate funding, and proper system arrangements for the public health workforce. Work with our partners to advocate for the strengthening of national, regional and local public health systems.

• Expand Member Services: Further enhance the FPH Members’ Portal and e-Portfolio, providing greater support for our growing membership, greater transparency of how the FPH supports our membership, and continuously improving the experience of our members’ engagement with the Faculty.

• Strengthen Events and Partnerships: Build on this year’s successes, including our collaborative conference with UKHSA, deepenening partnerships with the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and Society of Occupational Medicine on the work and health agenda, and continue our collaboration with the Royal College of Psychiatrists on a new public mental health conference. We continue to build our work and advocacy with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges on prevention and health equity.

• Work with, whilst Holding the Government to Account: Ensure commitments to reducing health inequalities and investing in prevention remain central to the national agenda for improving population health, the quality of our health and care services, and economic growth.

A Shared Commitment to Public Health

As I look back on the past year, I am truly grateful for the energy, expertise, and dedication our members bring to the Faculty and to public health more broadly. It has been a year of hard work, collaboration, and meaningful progress. Together, we have strengthened our voice as an advocate for public health, delivered impactful programmes, and supported an innovative workforce equipped to tackle the challenges of the future.

There is much more to do, but I am confident that by harnessing our collective leadership, we will continue to drive forward the priorities that matter most to our communities, our profession, and the health of the public.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the Faculty and to public health. I look forward to working with you in the months ahead as we continue to champion health, equity, and impact for all.