FPH Academic and Research Committee

The UK faces a wide range of complex health and care challenges; including multi-morbidities, persistent and growing inequalities, and more recently responding to and tackling health protection threats, to which public health is well placed to help address and is increasingly being recognised by public policy (the Prevention Green Paper, Improving the Health of the Public by 2040).

In order to address 21^st century public health and care challenges, it is crucial to develop future research leaders from a wide range of professional backgrounds, disciplines and skill sets, with an understanding of the full range of determinants of health, as well as building research capacity with researchers who are able to span the academic and practice worlds, with the ability and skills to co-produce research that is more meaningful and relevant in order to better inform public health practice and policy.

The Public Health Incubator aims to stimulate and inspire those working in the public health academic/practice field to pursue academic research careers; and to enhance the opportunities for those pursuing academic careers through better sign-posting to funding opportunities and career support activities.

In addition, the Public Health Incubator has been created to: 

• Raise awareness and enhance the opportunities for those pursuing, or wanting to pursue, academic careers in the public health; including better provision of, and sign-posting to training and career development initiatives and showcasing public health research and careers.
• Engage and actively reach out to a range of professional groups/disciplines and 'wider public health' professions; including architects, planners, environmental scientists, economists etc. helping them to establish academic careers and developing the next generation of public health researchers.
• Engage with local authorities and relevant sectors, in order to help support researchers wishing to navigate and span the academic and practice worlds, with the ability and skills to co-produce research that is more meaningful and relevant in order to better inform public health practice and policy.
• Raise the profile of public health academic research careers and work with other funders of public health research and policy and practice organisations.
• Identify and remediate barriers to those working in public health who wish to pursue a career in research

The Incubator community welcomes all those who wish to pursue academic careers in public health, as well as those who support and mentor aspirant researchers in the area.

For more information about the Public Health Incubator please click here.

• Research on the impact of COVID-19 and response measures, including a letter submitted in December 2020 to Dr Jonathan Marron, Director General, Prevention, Community and Social Care (DHSC) on the importance of research and evidence in the revised public health structures
• Provide academic support to other committees and Special Interest Groups within the FPH
• Support Clinical Research Networks to increase research in local authorities
• Bazalgette Professorship
• Advise on Public Health Workforce Development and Capacity Planning
• Advise on the training programme for Specialty Registrars and support the development of academic training placements
• Support development of a Trans-disciplinary Fellowship Programme with the Health Foundation.
• Work with others to increase its professional relevance of FPH membership
• Develop Public Health ethical frameworks
• Support Public Health education in medical schools
• Work with the Information and Intelligence Group
• Map Public Health research and training opportunities
• Building academic Public Health capacity
• Public Health Research Blueprint for bold ambitious Public Health research ideas
• Contribute to recruitment to FPH membership 
• Provide a position statement on Public Health research on behalf of FPH
• Engage with RCP (London) and support with conference themes
• Support wider opportunities for Public Health Fellowships 
• Advocate for joint academic-service Public Health roles
• Develop links with Social Care research

The ARC delivered a position statement on public health research (2018). This supported national discussions and advocated for greater visibility of academic public health, building on recommendations from the Academy of Medical Sciences’ Health of the Public 2040 report.

FPH Public Health Research Blueprint: the committee responded to a SCHOPR consultation about the research priorities that would do most to improve the health of the population over coming decades. Our response to SCHOPR is available, along with a scoping review summarising previous related publications. The blueprint informed SCHOPR's submission to the UK Chief Medical Officers.

Contributed to policy discussions through the National Institute for Health Research on Health Futures, and supported identification of local authority priorities for research areas.