THE NEW programme leader for the University of Bradford’s Public Health and Community Wellbeing course has spoken of how important it can be for the district and for society as a whole.

Dr Imose Itua said the course is relevant now more than ever, amid the effects of the pandemic, mental health pressures and the cost-of-living crisis.

Dr Itua said: “There is no better time than now to be studying public health and looking to make a real and lasting difference to population health at local, community and national level.

“It is unclear how people have been affected by lockdown but there is already some indication that mental health, health inequalities and the cost-of-living crisis are leading to poverty.

“Public health workers need to think of creative and innovative ways to address these crises and lessen the negative impact. 

“Not only do we prepare students for handling the kind of public health crisis we are now seeing unfold, we equip students to work with communities to tackle the broad range of factors that affect health and wellbeing.

“There has never been a greater demand for the skills and knowledge that this degree provides”. 

For an informal chat about the course, contact Dr Itua at i.itua@bradford.ac.uk or Andrew Hart at a.hart1@bradford.a