The Unequal Pandemic: NHIP Lightning Talk

Tuesday October 26, 2021

Bringing together a leading researcher and public health leader on the topic of the ‘Unequal Pandemic: COVID-19 and Health Inequalities’ provided an inspiring Lightning Talk by Clare Bambra, Professor of Public Health at Newcastle University, and Tom Hall, Director of Public Health at South Tyneside Council.

Professor Bambra takes us on a journey covering the Spanish flu a century ago, health and social inequalities before the pandemic, the impact of COVID outcomes, and pathways for inequalities with the pandemic. Tom provides a personal perspective, illustrated by significant life and healthy life expectancy gaps and the sterling work across South Tyneside from the early days of the pandemic.

Questions from the audience prompted a powerful conversation in a number of related areas, which included:

  • Pressures in primary care and the different delivery networks – given the need to tackle the root cause of health and social inequalities at policy level.
  • Challenges of obesity – recognising it can be harder to be a healthy weight than an unhealthy weight.
  • Early findings on the impact of long COVID.
  • The need for a fundamental shift in society to take a more systematic and long-term approach to inequalities, which will have benefits for all.
  • How research can influence public opinion.

Watch the event in full via our recording below:

 

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