GÖG-Colloquium | Marmot Places - Insights into a UK initiative
Social and socio-economic health determinants play a significant role in health and health inequality. Sir Michael Marmot is a renowned expert on this topic, having worked on it for many years and highlighted these connections in the Marmot Review in 2010, among other publications (for more information see: Fair Society, Healthy Lives (The Marmot Review).
During the Colloquium the background and development of the Marmot Places initiative, which was described as grassroot initiative without national strategy or support by the national government behind, were presented by Jessica Allen, the Deputy Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity. She also talked about the activities of the institute to support Marmot Places in implementing the Marmot principles. She pointed out, that there is not the one blueprint fitting for all, it needs individual solutions depending on the local situation. With those places already on the way of joining the initiative in 2026 about 43 % of UK will be covered, including a broad variety concerning situation and governance.
Ruth Glassborow, the Director of Population Health and Wellbeing at Public Health Scotland, presented the activities of Public Health Scotland to support Marmot Places in Scotland. From twelve interested places three were selected to get a two year support. Criteria have been among others the commitment to a longterm process as well as the need for support. A national learning platform shall be implemented to exchange experiences between all Marmot Places. One of the challenges mentioned is the short-term funding of preventive interventions.
Nicola Ainsworth, a Public Health Consultant at Luton Borough Council, and Chimeme Egbutah, a Public Health Service Manager from Luton, reported about activities set in Luton to become a Marmot Place resp. “Luton Health Equity Town”. Luton is among the first Marmot Places and can look back on experiences from four years. Based on the concept of the “building blocks of health” it was possible to address the variety of social determinants of health and to ensure a systematic approach. The presentation showed that together with a broad variety of stakeholders it is possible to change the attitude resp. approach and work differently, which can be even more cost-effective.
The presenters:
Jessica Allen is Deputy Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity. In this she has shaped the strategic direction of the Institute and overseen its work and development. She has worked closely with international organisations, national and local governments, businesses and the economic sector, third sector organisations and public health and health care systems. She has published widely on the social determinants of health and led much of the Institute’s work. Cooperations with global organisations including the UN, the WHO, but also the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Commission on Equity and Health Inequalities in the Americas are part of this.
Ruth Glassborow is the Director of Population Health and Wellbeing at Public Health Scotland, where she leads efforts to address the wider determinants of health with a particular focus on reducing health inequalities. Her career is rooted in person-centred, evidence-informed transformation, with a strong track record of influencing national policy and delivering practical and impactful large scale change programmes. Previously, as Director of Improvement at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, she led major national initiatives using quality improvement and system change methods across health and social care.
Nicola Ainsworth is Public Health Consultant at Luton Borough Council. Nicola has been a qualified Consultant in Public Health for the last 3 years with more than 20 years of experience in the public health sector. Her portfolio at Luton Borough Council in the UK covers drugs & alcohol, domestic abuse, mental health, on street sex exploitation, population health management and health protection. Before training to be a consultant, Nicola worked at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the UK for 8 years including working on interventional proceudre and public health guidance.
Chimeme Egbutah is Public Health Service Manager from Luton, a Marmot Place. She has worked in Local Government for over twenty years as a public health specialist. Her work entails focusing on the wider determinants of health, children and young people and more recently Public Health healthcare. Chimeme has experience in management and consulting, team building and strategic implementation of public health policies across non-traditional services such as Housing, Strategic Transport and Planning. She has a good understanding of health improvement interventions; Implementing key policies that support the surveillance and monitoring of local public health and is confident in collaborating across various sectors, including private and voluntary sector.
Welcome and moderation
Marion Weigl
Austrian National Public Health Institute (Gesundheit Österreich GmbH)
Department Health, Society and Equity