Abstract

Prof Dame Anne Johnson, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology and co-director at UCL Health of the Public, provided delegates with an overview of the coronavirus, the outlook and the path ahead. Prof Johnson highlighted a report from the Academy of Medical Sciences, which came up with a number of proposals for organising health and social care during the winter months.

Providing a more international perspective was Dr Layla McCay, director of international relations from the NHS Confederation. She explained how the UK, alongside many other countries and healthcare systems, was in the process of doing four things: one, working to reduce the transmission of the virus; two, working to restore non-COVID health services; three, managing the current cases of COVID-19 and maintaining capacity, as well as dealing with other many challenges such as winter; and four, reflecting on what went well, what went less well, and how healthcare systems can emerge stronger.

Concluding this session, Dr Liz Paslawsky, a CEO and executive coach in integrative leadership, and a visiting professor of the Ukranian Catholic University, offered some insights into how COVID-19 has created a “golden opportunity for change” in respect of moving towards wellness-creating environments within a new population health model. Dr Paslawsky went on to focus on several aspects of population health and wellness, and look at how strategies have changed since COVID-19.