UKHSA exclusive at MJA Symposium

Dr Jennifer Dixon, Chief Executive of the Health Foundation, will be speaking at the MJA symposium

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is launching its first ever health inequalities report at the MJA annual symposium this month.

MJA members who attend the event, which is being held in partnership with the Health Foundation, will have exclusive early access to the detailed analysis of disparities in disease and environmental hazards faced by those in the poorest communities.

[Register now using the form at the end of this post]

Experts from the Health Foundation will also be presenting data on the economic argument for improving health and reducing inequalities at the symposium on April 25 in central London.

With the disbanding of NHS England to provide more money for front-line services, benefits cuts, an increase in the public health grant, the rise in use of weight-loss drugs, infectious disease outbreaks and policy plans to focus more on prevention, inequality is an issue never far from the headlines.

Support our members

Symposium organiser, MJA vice chair, Emma Wilkinson

To support our members in covering these issues, we have created a unique day of talks from some of the UK’s leading policy and journalism experts.

The packed agenda also includes presentations from the Association of Directors of Public Health and Nuffield Trust.

Tobi Thomas, Health Inequalities Reporter at The Guardian and Madlen Davies, Senior Editor at The Examination, will talk about some of their key investigations and how to hold organisations to account.

Limited places

There will be limited places at the event, which is also supported by Doctors’ Association UK, so we urge our members to make sure they register before the deadline on April 18.

Shaun Lintern, chair of the MJA and health editor of The Sunday Times said: “This is going to be a fascinating event, packed full of news-generating talks and giving our members access to reports before anyone else.

“This symposium has gone from strength to strength under the leadership of our vice chair Emma Wilkinson and I hope members can see the MJA is seeking to do more that helps them in their day-to-day work.

Collaboration

“We are delighted to partner with the Health Foundation for this year’s symposium and I hope we can continue this collaboration in future years.”

Dr Jennifer Dixon DBE, Chief Executive of the Health at The Health Foundation, said, “ We look forward to hosting MJA members at the Health Foundation for their annual symposium. Highlighting health inequalities is vital as the nation’s health is increasingly unequal, affecting individuals, specific communities, and entire regions.

“These avoidable disparities put a greater strain on public services and curtail future prosperity. We hope that members will come away with a deeper understanding of this issue and feel motivated to explore it further. ”

Register now to ensure your place at the 2025 MJA Symposium.

REGISTER HERE

Please complete the registration form to secure your place. You will also receive a confirmation email. If you don’t receive a confirmation email get in touch so that we can secure your place

With thanks to our awards sponsors DAUK for additional support

Agenda

9.00 Registration and tea/coffee

9.30 Welcome and opening remarks Emma Wilkinson, Vice Chair MJA

9.40 Welcome to the Health Foundation – remarks from Jennifer Dixon, Chief Executive, Health Foundation

10.00 The economic argument for improving health and reducing inequalities Dave Finch, Assistant Director, The Health Foundation

10.30 ‘A national disgrace’: Investigating maternal inequality Tobi Thomas, Health Inequalities Correspondent, The Guardian

11.00 Tea and coffee break

11.30 Should the NHS prioritise care based on inequalities? Sally Gainsbury, Senior Policy Analyst, Nuffield Trust

12.00 World of Pain: Holding pharmaceutical companies to account on promoting opioids Madlen Davies, The Examination

12.30 No, the answer to obesity isn’t cookery classes Greg Fell, Association of Directors of Public Health

13.00 Lunch

13.45  Parallel workshop sessions

• Using data to uncover inequality Paul Bradshaw, Birmingham City University
• Reframing the debate Health Equals

14.30  Latest research

• Exclusive: UKHSA health inequalities report Leonora Weil, Deputy Director Health Equity, UK Health Security Agency

15.05 Tea/coffee break

15.20 Panel discussion: Individual blame versus societal failure? Jo Bibby, Health Foundation, Karis Betts, Cancer Research UK, Eleanor Hayward, The Times and Michelle Roberts, BBC News. Chaired by Emma Wilkinson, Vice Chair MJA

15:50 What we need to understand about race, ethnicity and health inequalities Shabna Begum, Chief Executive Officer, Runnymede Trust and Heidi Safia Mirza, Emeritus Professor of Equalities Studies in Education at UCL Institute of Education and co-author of the race and ethnic inequalities chapter of the Deaton Review

16.30  Drinks reception

Programme subject to change

The event will take place at the Health Foundation on Friday April 25 at the Health Foundation, 8 Salisbury Square, London, EC4Y 8AP.

Map and directions available here.