Assistant Director (Public Health Science)NHS Hull

FormatWho am I?What is my job?What was my PhD about?How is it relevant to my working life?How is it not relevant to my working life?!Conclusion

Who am I?

Private Sector - Philips Electronics – Advanced Products Marketing

Economics BSc BradfordHealth Economics MSc YorkPhD Bradford 2006

My jobAssistant Director of Public Health Science – NHS

Hull Health EconomistLead team of Health Scientists (epidemiologists,

statisticians, health impact specialists)Outputs

JSNA - Gives direction for health planningPNA – Gives direction for pharmaceutical provisionEquity Audits – Shows focus for provision to combat

health inequalitiesSocial Capital Research - some in partnership with

Hull University and Sheffield Hallam University

My PhDPart Time - 5 years Social Capital (social networks, levels of trust and

connections within communities that ultimately help to improve social, physical and economic conditions as well as the life chances of those where it exists.)

Influence on demand for health care - Funding and Private Medical Insurance relevant

Association between social capital and healthNon market provision through social support

reduces demand on PMI and NHSCross-Sectional Time Series Panel Data Analysis

using Stata6 years of BHPS

My PhD FindingsThere is a relationship between Social Capital

and the amount of health care demandedMay be positive or negative (or multi-

dimensional)Personal risk attitudes very importantRisk attitudes dependent on social and

cultural backgroundsPeople in different occupations or lifestyles

face higher risks so demand more ‘reservation value’

Relevance to working lifePhD a salutary process! Sense of achievementMark of professional ability ‘licence to teach’Higher statistical training and credibility

(publications)Gives me extra edge on large dataset analysis

and the integrity of analysis and conclusionsBroadened in terms of statistical knowledge

and subject area

Relevance

Keeps academic life aliveGives opportunity to transfer learning to

policy (Health and LA)Links to ongoing theme of Social Capital

within government now termed ‘Big Society’Ironically better Social Capital might mean

greater equality

ConclusionMy experience not your experiencePhD essential for academic lifeExtremely useful in non-academic working

lifeOpens doorsMore opportunities for involvement in

collaborative projectsEnabled Fellowship of Faculty of Public

Health enables employment as Consultant in Public Health

CredibilityStill fascinated by my subject!

Call yourself a Doctor?Yes You’ve done the studyingYou’ve earned it!