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The sixth face-to-face event in the Prevention Concordat for Better Mental Health learning series saw snowy scenes at the Oval cricket ground, but despite the inclement weather and disruptions to travel, the atmosphere in the room was positive (helped in part by plentiful hot drinks and soup to thaw people out). 

One hundred years since the vote was first extended to women in the UK and over 140 years since women were allowed to train as doctors in Britain, do we have equality of power for women in healthcare, either as professionals or as patients?

For the fifth face-to-face event in Public Health England’s Prevention Concordat series we gathered in the East Midlands. The conversation was far-reaching (who’d have thought the Vatican would come up as a topic of conversation?) and we had the chance to hear a range of case studies from the region.

There’s a lot of us out there, in different industries and sectors, trying to build collaborations, develop new ways of working and change systems that are no longer fit for purpose.  

"The best things in life are free," sang The Beatles. "But," they continued, "you can keep them for the birds and bees. Now give me money…" Is money essential in getting what you want? Is it the key factor in making change happen?

For face-to-face event number three in Public Health England's Prevention Concordat series, we welcomed participants from across the south east. A good event needs to leave you with snippets that you just can't get out of your head, and the south east event certainly achieved that.

"We’re here today for enlightenment," proclaimed Edward Kununga, Director of Public Health for Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, at the start of our learning event on the Public Health England-led Prevention Concordat for Better Mental Health. Dramatic? Maybe. Overblown? Not at all.

What springs to mind when you hear the word 'webinar'?  "I can't wait"?…probably not. Perhaps it's because we humans are innately sociable creatures that we don't enjoy staring at a screen for an hour watching a set of moving slides, but I have friends who will willingly spend time staring at a screen to watch Final Score, so I find that hard to believe.

Think of the last time you were faced with a complex challenge. One where the answers weren’t simple and the resources at your disposal very much finite. Got one? Great. How did you solve it? Unless you have super human capabilities, I’m going to guess that it involved working with others, seeking their advice, sharing what you know, and trying to come up with a solution together.

Thank you to Kaleidoscope, who asked me to offer some reflections on joy in work. When I was thinking about this, I was reminded of a story that I’d like to share with you. It’s a story about someone you might not usually associate with joy - a homeless man.