These short sessions cover a wide variety of public health topics and aim to develop professionals’ awareness and practice around the subjects covered.
At a typical 'Want to know more about...' session you will:
- learn how to identify the public health issue being covered
- discover local services that are working to improve the issue
- understand ways you can help, should you choose to
The sessions are free of charge and are presented by friendly and knowledgeable facilitators who are experts in their fields, including specialists from the Leeds Public Health team.
Upcoming sessions
Want to know more about... rough sleeper access to healthcare
Thursday 2 October, 10 to 11:30am
The health of rough sleepers is considerably worse than the general population and this is particularly starkly demonstrated in terms of life expectancy. Rough sleepers have a mean age of death of 45 years for men and 43 years for women, compared to 82.3 years for males and 85.8 years for females in the general population (Office for National Statistics (2022). Rough sleepers are an inclusion health cohort.
From 10 to 11am, this session will cover:
- the role of multi-morbidity/tri-morbidity/multiple complex needs
- particular issues faced by female rough sleepers
- the role of stigma as a barrier to healthcare for rough sleepers
- the importance of person-centred care
Those who want to hear about the original qualitative research behind this content have the option to stay on the MS Teams call from 11 to 11:30am, and will discover how it helps address some research gaps around female rough sleepers.
This session will be delivered by Magdalena Boo from Leeds City Council's Public Health Drug and Alcohol team, and part-time PhD researcher.
Want to know more about... how the environment shapes our health
Monday 13 October, midday to 1pm
Over time the food environment has changed. The places we live, work and play are now overloaded with easy-to-access, cheap, nutrient-poor food which is high in fat, sugar, and salt. How we interact with food has also changed with many people now eating out as part of everyday life where we are provided with supersize portions, price incentives and product placement strategies that encourage and normalise unhealthy food options. This webinar aims to highlight the latest evidence on the impact of the food environment on food options. It will also outline the strategies Leeds City Council is undertaking to increase availability of healthier options. This session is suitable for anyone who would like to learn more about the impact of the food environment and consider how they can support local action.
This session will cover:
- factors that influence food options
- the national food environment evidence and insight for Leeds
- strategic context for food environment work including the Leeds Food Strategy and Healthy Weight Declaration
- overview of the food environment work plan delivered by Leeds City Council including the new Youth Food Manifesto
- examples and ideas of work that can be undertaken from partner organisations
This session will be delivered by Emma Strachan and Deb Lowe, Health Improvement Specialists from the Leeds Public Health team.
Want To Know More About... Healthy Places
Thursday 6 November, 10am to 11am
This session is for anyone who is interested in learning how the environments we grow up, live, work and play in affect our physical and mental health. It aims to empower individuals and communities to influence the shape of their future environments via the planning process.
The session will cover:
- an overview of Public Health’s role in the planning process
- a brief overview of the planning system and social determinants of health
- why does this matter? Practical examples of the way in which homes and infrastructure can make our lives better or worse.
- what planners and Public Health can and cannot do
- why your involvement matters
The session will be delivered by Elaine Saul, Health Improvement Specialist (Healthy Places team), Public Health, Leeds City Council.
Want To Know More About... Cancer awareness
Monday 17 November, 10am to 11am
Join Leeds Health Awareness for a friendly and light-hearted online session that will raise awareness of different types of cancers, their symptoms, and screening programmes.
1 in 2 people in the UK will face cancer in their lifetime. Early detection is key and it can save lives. This session aims to give you the confidence to talk about cancer and encourage those you support to attend screening or see their GP about symptoms.
Let’s break the stigma, share knowledge, and support each other in staying healthy.
The session will cover:
- breast, lung, bowel, prostate and cervical cancer
- symptoms
- cancer screening programmes
- barriers to screening
This webinar will be delivered by Darren and Megan from the Leeds Health Awareness Service.
Want To Know More About... Type 2 diabetes
Monday 1 December, 11am to midday
Join Leeds Health Awareness for a friendly and light-hearted online information session about type 2 diabetes.
Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is rising in the UK. Many people are confused about the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes and are not aware that, in many cases, type 2 diabetes can be avoided if people make certain life changes before they develop the condition. This information session is for anyone who would like to learn more about type 2 diabetes and is presented in a style that makes it accessible to a wide audience.
The session will cover:
- the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- what is happening when someone is pre-diabetic
- what we can do to minimise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
This webinar will be delivered by Darren and Megan from Leeds Health Awareness Service and will last approximately 1 hour, which will include time for questions and answers at the end of the presentation.
Want to know more about... films
Some of the 'Want to know more about…' sessions are recorded and published to YouTube.
You can watch recorded webinars and other training films on the Leeds Public Health Training playlist on YouTube, at a time that is suitable to you. If you attended a session that was recorded, this is where it will be published.
Leeds Public Health training playlist
Delivering a want to know more about… session
If you are interested in delivering a 'Want to know more about...' session to raise awareness of a particular public health issue or service, please contact us at phforall@leeds.gov.uk for a discussion.
