City Health International

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City Health International is delighted to announce we have established a blog on the website to promote debate and discussion around current issues of interest to the network. David MacKintosh, one of the founders of the network, writes a weekly piece, posted here. We also invite contributions to the blog from others with ideas and opinions on issues relating to health behaviours and urban health and well being and who wish to share with others. If you would like to contribute, please send your post to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will ensure it is posted on the site and placed in the weekly City Health alerts sent to those in the network.

The year is ending at a gallop. Brexit may have pretty much paralyzed the government in Westminster but in national, regional and local administrations the wheels still turn. Health issues still feature in the media, some, such as rough sleeping and alcohol intoxication, being seasonal fixtures. Universities and experts continue to provide new analysis, information and fresh angles on key subjects. This may all sound very self-evident to colleagues outside the UK, but it is reassuring, at least to me, to take a moment and remind ourselves that the earth has not stopped turning on its axis as issues over the backstop, second referendum, votes of no confidence etc. etc. dominate the news and conversation.

Ignorance is a lot like alcohol: the more you have of it, the less you are able to see its effect on you – Jay Bylsma

It’s been a very busy few weeks. I have been involved in finalising and rolling out a London wide alcohol campaign aimed at those out celebrating in the run up to Christmas. Let me thank all who have contributed, especially my colleague Jess. It’s been a serious piece of work getting partners on board and materials out on time. No mean feat. You can find out more about Eat, Pace, Plan here https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/community-and-living/safer-city-partnership/Documents/christmas-toolkit-2018.pdf

On 3 December we hosted a major conference looking at how we can move to eradicate Hepatitis C. It was a great event that attracted over 200 attendees, a positive indication of the growing interest in this issue. It was also the biggest audience for one of our events since the first City Health Conference back in 2012.

We all have our heroes, those who inspire and motivate us. They may be historic or contemporary, known through books, film or via the news. Quite possibly we may have actually met or even worked alongside someone who we view as a hero. Many of us, if we think about it, will have a considerable number of heroes, and every country, city and profession provides its own candidates, though many are disputed and once established heroes can find themselves out of favour as views and understanding changes. Many of course never receive much in the way of acknowledgement or reward, quiet heroes going about their work without fanfare. Of course, the field of health improvement provides us with a rich list of famous names to choose from, Hippocrates, Jenner, Pasteur, Fleming, Snow (who I will return to), Bazalgette, Bevan. I am sure you could all add many, many more. This list is of course historic, and I want to ponder a moment on who might be celebrated as a hero in 20, 50 or 100 years.

Like another 1.5 million Londoners my commute to and from work regularly involves reading the Evening Standard, a free newspaper that enjoys a rich heritage and is almost a part of the fabric of the City. This despite its politics and editorial stance often being at odds with London’s inclinations. It does benefit from some quality journalism and has a breadth of coverage which reflects London’s status as a world city. Last Monday there were three articles which ensured I didn’t doze off on my journey, and which captured three of the key issues facing our major global centres.

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David’s blog 49#: The World Turned Upside Down

Wednesday, April 01, 2020

Everything is changed. COVID-19 and responses to it have seen dramatic and fundamental changes to how life is lived around the globe. International travel has come to a near complete halt, much of the world is under some form of lock down with businesses, schools, shops, pubs and cafes shut. Our economic and social reality is now unrecognisable from that of only weeks ago.

David’s blog 48#: Revisit, Rewind and Renew

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Clearly the current health focus is strongly centred on Covid- 19 and related issues, as it has been for the past few weeks. It is a demanding situation for politicians, officials, and indeed all of us, especially those working in our healthcare system. One of the major challenges we face is increasing understanding and encouraging changes in behaviour, while also avoiding panic and overreaction. Trusted and accurate information is clearly essential, both for those who have a key role and for the general public. We are certainly seeing more of England’s Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser in the media than usual. In the current situation, politicians are not only keen to hear from experts, but also happy to let them step into the spotlight. While we still see sensationalist headlines, there are also visible benefits of this approach, with more measured and informed elements within the media coverage- though this is less evident on the outer reaches of the online universe. Before I move on to other topics, let us reflect on the significant additional pressures being placed on our frontline health providers. They deserve our gratitude and, in many instances, much improved terms and conditions. Let’s hope that when this coronavirus issue passes the staff that so many rely on are not overlooked.

David’s blog 47#: Reality Bites

Monday, February 10, 2020

Public health is front and centre of the media currently, with concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, which was first identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan, splashed across almost every front page. With confirmed cases now reported in numerous countries across the world, we face the possibility of a pandemic. As several experts and commentators have pointed out, in our modern, highly interconnected world no epidemic remains a local concern. This, of course, makes for frightening headlines- which, in turn, calls for calm and informed responses.

David's blog #46: A Year for Compassion

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

So here we are: 2020. Let me start by wishing all of you the very best for the year ahead. I have, occasionally, been accused of an inclination toward cynicism and a failure to look on the bright side of things. So, for my first blog of the year, at least, I am going to be determinedly upbeat. You can judge for yourself how long it lasts. This sense of optimism is influenced by the fact that the end of 2019 saw some positive signs in the world of substance misuse. While it was something of a mad scramble against time, we managed to pull together a high quality and well-supported pan-London Christmas alcohol campaign. I am very grateful to colleagues who delivered the key elements of this work and to everyone who supported it. Some, in fact, went well beyond the call of duty to engage with our colleagues in the blue light services. Although we will not have any data in terms of its reach and impact for some months (I will update you), what I can confidently say is that many individuals and organisations liked the messaging and tone. I like to think it is helping contribute to Londoners having a more considered and healthier relationship with alcohol, though there is a way to go yet!

CITY HEALTH INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

CHI Melbourne 2019

CHI Liverpool 2019

CHI Odessa 2018

CHI Basel 2017

CHI London 2016

CHI Barcelona 2015

CHI Amsterdam 2014

CHI Glasgow 2013

CHI London 2012

City Health International

Founded in 2012 City Health International is a network of individuals and organisations engaged in the study of and response to structural health issues and health behaviours in the urban environment. For the first time in history the majority of the world’s population now live in urban environments and the proportion continues to grow. As national governments struggle to deal with the pressures and demands of growing urban populations against a backdrop of financial deficits and uncertainty, it is increasingly left to those working at a city level to provide the leadership and support needed to tackle key health issues.