Ecological Public Health: creating alternatives to (health) business-as-usual?

Location: Oliver Thompson Lecture Theatre, City University London, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB.

This is an open event and there is no cost to attend, but please reserve a place.

After a highly charged public debate about the future of healthcare (as the NHS Bill went through Parliament), now is the time to talk about the shape of public health itself. This mini-symposium is an opportunity to do that. It will discuss whether ecological public health - which proposes that human and eco-systems health are co-dependent - needs to be the central policy framework. This mini-symposium is a chance to explore questions such as:

• Does ecological public health provide a new rallying point for policy and practice?

• As Rio+20 debates the future, what can the UK do to promote ecological public health?

• Are national and local efforts adequately aligned?

• How can the public be helped to rebalance from a consumerist to an ecological approach to health?

• What are the priorities to facilitate a better match of human bodies and eco-systems?

• Where is the political engagement?

Short presentations/cases will be made by:

• Dr Fiona Sim (Chair), Editor of Public Health (on behalf of the Royal Society for Public Health)

• Dr Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion (TBC)

• Dr John Middleton, Director, Public Health Sandwell, Vice-President, Faculty of Public Health

• Dr David Pencheon, Director, NHS Sustainable Development Unit

• Dr Geof Rayner, Research Fellow, City University

There will then be a Q&A/discussion of the issues raised.

The evening ends with a reception in the foyer outside.

1730 Registration; 1800-1930 Talks and debate; 1930-2030 Reception

This event is being hosted by the City University London's Centre for Food Policy and the Development and Alumni Office.

Geof Rayner & Tim Lang's new book 'Ecological Public Health' (Routledge/Earthscan) will be available.