Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to an inspiring episode of Public Health Spotlights. Join host Callum Gardiner as he sits down with Prof Lisa McNally, Director of Public Health at Worcestershire County Council, for a conversation about her unique journey from psychology into the heart of public health leadership.
Lisa McNally reflects on her career path, the pivotal moments during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how supporting community autonomy has transformed health outcomes. She dives into the philosophy behind empowering neighbourhoods, shares practical examples like the award-winning Priority Neighbourhood Development Program, and discusses the real impact of community-led change.

Together, they tackle big questions around prevention vs care, demonstrate how stories are just as vital as data, and unpick the challenges of tackling inequality, poverty, and social isolation. Prof Lisa McNally also opens up about leadership, her team’s national recognition, working collaboratively with the NHS, and the personal lessons she’s learned along the way including the power of mindfulness and finding joy in community work.

Whether you’re interested in how neighbourhood action changes lives, strategies for maximizing limited public health budgets, balancing data with lived experience, or advice for building effective teams, this episode is full of honest insights, actionable wisdom, and unwavering passion for public health.

Highlights:

- From psychology to public health: a career built on championing behaviour change and communities
- How community autonomy and investment sparks lasting transformation
- Insights behind the Priority Neighbourhood Development Program’s success and recognition
- Balancing prevention with care and immediate impact in public health
- Tackling poverty, inequality, and social isolation in Worcestershire
- Collaboration strategies with the NHS and maximizing team potential
- Leadership lessons: building trust, fostering positivity, and nurturing wellbeing

Don’t miss this deeply human and practical exploration of local public health innovation and leadership. Subscribe for more stories and strategies from Public Health Spotlights.

Thank you for tuning in to Public Health Spotlight: A Panoramic Associates Podcast. For more expert discussions on public health, be sure to subscribe. Visit our website at panoramicassociates.co.uk to learn more about our work in the public health sector. This podcast is produced in collaboration with the Association of Directors of Public Health.

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to a special episode of Public Health Spotlight. In this insightful conversation, host River Simmons sits down with Andrew Taylor to explore his inspiring journey through public health from growing up in Bradford, surrounded by its smoky mill chimneys, to leading public health teams in both Bradford and Waltham Forest.

Andrew shares how his personal experiences shaped his passion for public health, and how Bradford’s vibrant, multicultural communities influenced his career. He reflects openly on overcoming adversity, the role of education, moving between interim and permanent leadership, and why social capital and trust are fundamental to building a healthy city.

Whether you’re interested in local history, the evolution of public health, community cohesion, or advice on starting a career in the sector, this episode is packed with personal stories, practical insight, and a touch of Yorkshire pride.

Highlights:

- Bradford’s radical heritage and multicultural evolution
- The realities of interim vs permanent Director of Public Health roles
- Improving child development, immunisation, and social cohesion
- Strategies for building health and wellbeing at a city-wide level
- Advice for those considering a career in public health

Don’t miss this honest and motivating conversation on public health leadership and community impact. Subscribe for more episodes of Public Health Spotlight.

#PublicHealth #Bradford #Community #Leadership #HealthEquity #Podcast

Thank you for tuning in to Public Health Spotlight: A Panoramic Associates Podcast. For more expert discussions on public health, be sure to subscribe. Visit our website at panoramicassociates.co.uk to learn more about our work in the public health sector. This podcast is produced in collaboration with the Association of Directors of Public Health.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Public Health Spotlight, we head to Bracknell Forest to hear from Charlotte Pavitt, Director of Public Health (DPH), as she shares her journey and experiences in public health leadership.

Charlotte reflects on her non-traditional route into public health, beginning with a background in human biology and a pivotal population health module that inspired her to move “further upstream”. She discusses her early career in NHS quality improvement and primary care trusts, before undertaking specialist training and a Darzi Fellowship, which ignited her passion for system leadership and social prescribing.

Drawing on roles across London and the South West, Charlotte shares her experience leading pioneering work around complex lives, including commissioning GP services for homeless and vulnerable communities, and embedding mature partnership approaches to suicide prevention in Devon. She highlights the realities of building trust across diverse systems with competing priorities and significant health inequalities.

The conversation explores what it means to lead one of England’s smallest public health teams and how that constraint can drive creativity and collaborative leadership. Charlotte outlines her “health in all policies” approach, the importance of influencing across council structures, and how to seize opportunities within transforming health and care systems. She speaks candidly about tackling rising obesity, addressing the commercial determinants of health, and recognising how environments from high streets to social networks shape outcomes just as much as individual choices.

Reflecting on key career milestones, Charlotte discusses balancing family life with professional progression, overcoming imposter syndrome, and stepping into Bracknell Forest’s first dedicated Director of Public Health role.

Throughout the episode, she offers honest insight into collaborative leadership, winning hearts and minds, and the value of strong peer networks both locally and through ADPH. Her advice to aspiring leaders is clear: invest in relationships, communicate with empathy, and remain open-minded about what public health success looks like.

This episode is a candid and encouraging exploration of modern public health leadership rooted in partnership, pragmatism, and making a tangible difference to communities.

Subscribe for more inspiring conversations, local public health stories, and practical insights from Public Health Spotlight.

Thank you for tuning in to Public Health Spotlight: A Panoramic Associates Podcast. For more expert discussions on public health, be sure to subscribe. Visit our website at panoramicassociates.co.uk to learn more about our work in the public health sector. This podcast is produced in collaboration with the Association of Directors of Public Health.