ChaMPs and the Local Government Group successfully host the largest ever North West Public Health Conference & Awards

21/10/2011

The 2011 North West Public Health Conference & Awards was the largest single day session in the conference’s history with over 400 delegates registered for the event held at the Arena Convention Centre Liverpool, hosted by Cheshire & Merseyside Public Health Network (ChaMPs) and the Local Government Group.

The conference presented a jammed-packed agenda with four key note speakers, a choice of eight parallel sessions and various health & wellbeing activities including a zumba class en-masse. The conference proposition asked: How do we create effective partnerships to deliver wellbeing?

Key note speakers included Dr Ruth Hussey OBE, Director of Public Health, Public Health England Transition Team, Professor David Hunter, Professor of Health Policy & Management, Durham University, Liam Hughes, National Advisor for Healthy Communities and John Wilderspin, National Transition Director for the Implementation of Health and Wellbeing Boards. The morning session was chaired by Councillor Terry O’Neill, Leader Warrington Council and the afternoon by Erika Wenzel, Chief Executive Cheshire East Council. The presentations from the day can now be downloaded from the ChaMPs website dedicated conference page.

Feedback from the conference has been overwhelmingly positive with one attendee commenting: “I thought that it was extremely well presented and organised throughout”.

ChaMPs Network Director Dawn Leicester said: “The conference came at a hugely important time when public health teams are facing a process of transition and I think it helped to strengthen key relationships. I was particularly pleased with the quality of the conference programme which was developed by a multi-agency steering group.”

The day also included the North West Public Health Awards which were presented during a lunch time ceremony hosted by Dr Ann Hoskins, Acting Regional Director of Public Health/Director of Children, Young People and Maternity Services, NHS North West. There were eight ‘Award Winners’ and ten ‘Highly Commended’. All the winners and project details can be viewed on the ChaMPs website.

Events Northern Ltd were proud to be the event managers for the event and work on behalf of ChaMPs and the Local Government Group.  This is the second year running that Events Northern have been commissioned for the event.  The conference last year took place over 2 days at the Low Wood Hotel, Ambleside.  This year the event outgrew its original venue of the Town Hall, Liverpool and so a decision was taken to move the event to the Arena and Convention Centre, Liverpool.  The additional delegate places also sold out to capacity with over 400 people registered.