UCL Health of the Public Symposium 2026

Health of the Public Symposium 2026 | Transforming Health: From Sickness to Prevention

2026 marks UCL’s bicentenary year, and we look forward to the Health of the Public Annual Symposium being a showcase of the bold ideas shaping healthier futures across our community.

This year’s symposium will bring together experts, leaders, and practitioners from across academia, the health sector, and beyond.

Our focus reflects the ambition set out in the NHS 10-Year Plan – a significant shift from a ‘sickness service to a prevention service’. The plan prioritises tackling preventable risk factors: obesity, tobacco use, and harmful alcohol consumption, alongside improving mental health provision.

Event programme, with full details to be confirmed: 

10:30 - Registration and refreshments
11:00 - Opening remarks
11:05 - Session One | Turning the Tide on Obesity
12:20 - Lunch and early career researcher poster session
13:20 - Session Two | Tackling Alcohol and Smoking Harm
14:35 - Break
14:50 - Session Three | Early Action onMental Health
15:50 - Poster competition prize giving
15:55 - Closing remarks
16:00-17:00 - Networking reception & event close 

We have an excellent line-up of speakers, including:

• Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar, Vice Provost – Health, UCL
• Dr Rachel Allen, Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, Department of Health and Social Care
• Prof. Linda Bauld, Professor of Public Health, University of Edinburgh
• Sarah Brown, Head of Children, Young People & Perinatal Mental Health, NHS England
• Dr Adrian Brown, Associate Professor in Nutrition & Dietetics, UCL
• Prof. Jamie Brown, Professor of Behavioural Science and Health, UCL
• Prof. Jessica Deighton, Professor of Child Mental Health and Wellbeing, UCL
• Dr Ranjita Dhital, Associate Professor in Interdisciplinary Health Studies, UCL
• Prof. Sarah Jackson, Professorial Research Fellow, UCL
• Prof. Clare Llewellyn, Professor of Psychology & Epidemiology, UCL
• Dr Gemma Moore, Associate Professor in Health, Wellbeing & Communities, UCL
• Dr Oliver Mytton, Clinical Associate Professor and UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, UCL
• Prof. Praveetha Patalay, Professor of Population Health and Wellbeing, UCL

We look forward to seeing you in-person or online on 29 April.