Navigating Change and Collaboration: Mike Sandys on Public Health Leadership in Leicestershire & Rutland

In this episode of Public Health Spotlight, Mike Sandys, Director of Public Health for Leicestershire and Rutland, joins Callum Gardiner for a candid reflection on his unconventional journey into public health, the evolution of the field over three decades, and the realities of leading across two distinct counties.

In this episode of Public Health Spotlight, Mike Sandys, Director of Public Health for Leicestershire and Rutland, joins Callum Gardiner for a candid reflection on his unconventional journey into public health, the evolution of the field over three decades, and the realities of leading across two distinct counties.

From Necessity to Purpose: An Unlikely Beginning

Far from a traditional career path, Mike describes how economic necessity set him on a course toward public health. After early setbacks and temporary roles, a chance opportunity as a Surveys Officer sowed the seeds for a career defined by curiosity, adaptability, and a deepening sense of purpose. He shares, with characteristic humility and humour, how the winding roads of financial management, research, and local government shaped a values-driven commitment to community health.

A Career of Adaptation and Impact

Tracing his route from Oldham to Salford, St Helens to Derby, and finally to Leicestershire and Rutland, Mike reflects on the shifting landscape of public health practice. He highlights how increased involvement in service delivery from smoking cessation and weight management to licensing and planning transformed the possibilities for local action. Moving between urban and rural settings broadened his perspective, driving home the importance of both scale and specificity in addressing health needs.

The Complexities of Joint Leadership

Charged with delivering public health services to both Leicestershire and Rutland, Mike offers an honest account of the challenges and benefits of joint DPH roles. He outlines the “hybrid” model that ensures each area’s needs are recognised, emphasising relationship-building, local accountability, and the strategic art of balancing “one team” with tailored approaches. Political shifts, governance hurdles, and resource constraints require creativity and diplomacy, while the richness of cross-county insight strengthens collaboration.

Building Capacity and Culture

Mike details his approach to growing one of the country’s largest public health teams, blending strategic in-house service development with asset-based community coordination. He credits financial efficiency, visibility, and close working relationships across departments as key drivers, while highlighting the value of a positive workplace culture where collaboration and authenticity thrive.

Learning, Leadership, and Advice for the Future

Whether navigating austerity, organisational churn, or the pressures of pandemic response, Mike underscores the need for resilience, self-belief, and long-term vision. He draws on formative experiences from career-defining training opportunities to challenging moments of change management to offer candid, practical guidance to early-career professionals. His advice: play the long game, invest in people, embrace opportunities, and recognise progress is incremental but impactful.

Listen now to discover how pragmatic, people-centred leadership is helping Leicestershire and Rutland meet today’s public health challenges with innovation, integrity, and hope offering vital lessons for those shaping the future of population health.

The UK labour market may have cooled from the peaks of recent years, but salary expectations remain firmly elevated across many specialist and public-facing sectors.

According to the Totaljobs Salary Trends Report 2026, advertised median salaries have continued to rise, increasing by 7.5% year on year, with competition for skilled professionals still shaping hiring decisions.

For employers operating across the markets Panoramic Associates supports – including the public sector, built environment, healthcare, social care, IT and consulting – these trends carry some important implications.

Salary growth remains, but pressure is uneven

While salary growth has slowed in some generalist roles, specialist and regulated markets continue to command a premium. Sectors closely aligned to Panoramic Associates’ core markets, such as Built Environment, Education, Consulting, Healthcare and Social Care, remain among those experiencing sustained demand and upward pressure on pay.

In the built environment and infrastructure space, salary growth is being driven less by volume hiring and more by scarcity of experience. Roles linked to project delivery, safety, compliance and sustainability are particularly hard to fill, pushing employers to offer stronger packages to secure talent.

Similarly, healthcare and social care continue to experience long-term workforce shortages. Despite financial pressures across public services, employers are increasingly forced to balance budget constraints with competitive pay to retain frontline professionals and reduce reliance on temporary staffing.

Pay transparency is now a baseline expectation

One of the clearest shifts highlighted in the 2026 data is the growing importance of salary transparency. Around 80% of candidates now avoid applying for roles that do not disclose pay, making transparent salary ranges a minimum requirement rather than a differentiator.

For public sector bodies, local authorities and consultancies operating in regulated environments, this reinforces the need for clear, defensible pay frameworks. Candidates are comparing roles more easily than ever and are far less willing to engage in processes that feel opaque or outdated.

Salary alone is no longer enough

Although pay remains the primary driver of job moves, benefits and working conditions are playing a much larger role in final decisions. Flexible working remains the most desired benefit across industries, with learning, development and progression opportunities also rising up the agenda.

This is particularly relevant in public-facing and people-focused sectors. Professionals in social care, healthcare and consulting are increasingly prioritising workload sustainability, career longevity and wellbeing alongside pay. Employers that cannot compete at the very top end of salary bands are finding success by offering flexibility, supportive leadership and visible progression pathways.

A more cautious but mobile workforce

The data also points to a “split workforce”. While many professionals are choosing stability in an uncertain economic climate, over 40% are still actively looking or planning to look for a new role in 2026.

This creates a more selective candidate pool: fewer speculative applications, but higher expectations from those who do move.

For employers, this means that hiring processes, salary positioning and employer branding all need to be aligned from the outset. Delays, misaligned offers or unclear role scope are far more likely to result in drop-off than in previous years.

What this means for employers in 2026

Across the markets Panoramic Associates works with, the message is consistent: salary benchmarking must be realistic, transparent and combined with a broader value proposition. Employers who rely on historic pay assumptions or generic market data risk losing talent to more informed competitors.

Understanding where salary pressure genuinely exists, and where benefits, flexibility or progression can offset it, is now critical to building resilient teams. To discuss what this means for your organisation, get in touch here.

Siobhan Farmer on Leadership, Equity and Innovation

In this episode of Public Health Spotlight, Siobhan Farmer, Director of Public Health at Gloucestershire County Council, joins Callum Gardiner for an open and reflective conversation about leadership, lived experience and values-driven public health. From early curiosity about health inequalities to navigating the seismic challenges of Covid-19, Siobhan shares a deeply human account of leading public health in one of England’s most diverse rural urban counties.

Early Inspiration: From Research to Real Lives

Siobhan reflects on her early shift from laboratory-based science into public-facing roles, sparked by a desire to understand the real stories behind health data. Motivated by questions around why health outcomes vary so starkly, even in affluent societies, her career has been shaped by frontline work in healthy weight programmes, sexual health and drug services, and tackling the social determinants of health head-on.

Learning Through Crisis: Outbreaks, Uncertainty and Trust 

Recounting formative experiences in the North West, Siobhan describes responding to a major measles outbreak, an experience that sharpened her skills in communication, rapid decision-making and compassion amid fear and stigma. These lessons proved invaluable when she joined Gloucestershire in January 2020, just weeks before the arrival of Covid-19. Reflecting on “18 months of intense work, largely focused on Covid”, she offers rare insight into the resilience and realities of public health teams during unprecedented times.

Leading with Empathy and Evidence

At the heart of Siobhan’s approach is a commitment to equity, supported by thoughtful use of data and deep community engagement. She highlights the Podsmead pharmacy project as a powerful example of co-production in action, where listening to residents challenged assumptions and revealed gaps in how data had been interpreted. The result was improved access for a previously underserved community and a reminder that evidence must always be grounded in lived experience.

Personal Stories, Collective Change

In one of the episode’s most powerful moments, Siobhan speaks candidly about her family’s experience of alcohol misuse and its long-term impact. By sharing her story, she makes a compelling case for compassion, honesty and cultural change, creating space for others to acknowledge harm and begin difficult but necessary conversations.

Advice for Future Leaders

Reflecting on her own journey into senior leadership, Siobhan encourages emerging leaders to find roles that align with their values and strengths. She emphasises the importance of support networks, mentorship and authenticity, reminding listeners that leadership is not about fitting a mould, but about showing up as yourself and backing others to do the same.

Listen now to explore how Siobhan Farmer’s journey, marked by humility, adaptability and moral purpose, challenges us to think more boldly about what public health can, and should, be for Gloucestershire and beyond.

Discover the stories behind the statistics and see how collaboration, lived experience and evidence-led innovation are shaping the future of public health, one community at a time.

Social Justice as the Heart of Bristol’s Health Initiatives

In this episode of Public Health Spotlight, Christina Gray, Director of Communities and Public Health for Bristol Council, joins Callum Gardiner to reflect on her journey from grassroots activism in Scotland and Northern Ireland to leading public health in one of the UK’s most diverse and dynamic cities. With characteristic humility and a strong values-led approach, Christina explores the experiences, programmes and partnerships that have shaped her lifelong commitment to social justice and improving population health.

Early Influences: Social Justice and Community Roots

Raised in Scotland with a deep sense of public service and fairness, Christina explains how her early career in homelessness services and youth justice shaped her public health perspective. First-hand exposure to inequality particularly during her work in Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles strengthened her determination to address the structural causes of poor health.

From Grassroots to Systems Leadership

Christina traces her career path from social work into epidemiology, highlighting the opportunities created when public health training opened beyond medicine. She reflects on pivotal roles spanning homelessness, race and mental health equity, and neighbourhood health pilots, underscoring her belief that meaningful change comes through partnership, co-creation and long-term commitment not job titles or individual leadership alone.

Innovation in Action: Bristol’s Health at Night Programme

Turning to Bristol’s vibrant yet unequal night-time economy, Christina discusses a practical example of innovation in action. By shining a light on the health challenges faced by night-time workers, from hospitality and delivery staff to healthcare teams her work sparked new partnerships, data-led interventions and initiatives such as the Bristol Rules, promoting safety, wellbeing and inclusivity for everyone navigating the city after dark.

Building a One City Approach

At the heart of Christina’s impact is her leadership within Bristol’s One City Partnership, bringing together councils, health leaders, businesses, universities, community groups and cultural organisations to tackle shared priorities. From addressing violence against women and girls to improving access to arts and employment, she champions collaboration and creative use of city assets to reduce inequality and strengthen inclusion.

International Influence and Local Accountability

As a core city, Bristol holds national and international influence, and Christina outlines how the city’s work in harm reduction and the creative industries is shaping global conversations. At the same time, she remains firmly focused on closing entrenched inequalities between neighbourhoods through prevention, regeneration and empowering local leadership.

Leadership Reflections and Advice for the Next Generation

Christina speaks honestly about the colleagues and community leaders who inspire her through their integrity, resilience and commitment to service. She describes her leadership style as pragmatic, values-driven and collaborative, emphasising the importance of humility, listening and wearing authority lightly. Her advice to emerging public health leaders is simple but powerful: embrace imperfection, step into leadership opportunities, and remember that progress is collective and rarely linear.

Listen now to discover how Christina Gray’s journey from activism and adversity to city-wide innovation offers a compelling vision for the present and future of place-based public health in Bristol.

We’re excited to announce that PRG Consulting, the consultancy arm of Panoramic Associates, is now officially listed on the AWS Marketplace.

This presence provides a streamlined way for our clients to access consultancy services while benefiting from the security, flexibility, and reliability of the AWS platform.

Being registered on AWS Marketplace makes it easier for our clients to engage with our expertise, but it’s important to clarify how the process works. Unlike some products that can be selected directly from the marketplace, consultancy services require a tailored approach. For clients interested in using AWS to work with PRG Consulting, the process begins with a conversation to understand their specific requirements. Once we confirm the services needed, we create a bespoke offering on AWS that aligns with the agreed scope of work. This ensures every engagement is fully customised, transparent, and designed to deliver maximum impact.

Once the client’s AWS account is set up for the engagement, they’ll receive ongoing support from our team, including dedicated points of contact for guidance, updates, and recommendations throughout the process. In some cases, clients may also have access to an AWS account manager directly through their AWS agreement. This collaborative approach ensures that each client receives tailored support and a seamless experience from start to finish.

Listing PRG Consulting on AWS Marketplace also reinforces our commitment to making consultancy services accessible and straightforward for our clients. Through this platform, clients can explore how we can support them in optimising operations, scaling teams, implementing strategic initiatives, and accessing specialist insight across multiple areas of their organisation. The marketplace makes it clear what we offer, saving time and providing confidence that they are working with a trusted, experienced partner.

By leveraging AWS Marketplace, PRG Consulting combines the best of digital convenience with personalised, high-quality consultancy. For organisations looking to improve operational efficiency, adopt best practices, or navigate complex challenges, our presence on AWS ensures expert support is always within reach.

Explore our public profile and learn more about how PRG Consulting can help your organisation succeed: AWS Marketplace: PRG Consulting

Unpacking Public Health: Equity, Community, and Lasting Change

In this episode of the Public Health Spotlight, Jason Strelitz, Corporate Director of Adults, Health and Communities for the London Borough of Newham, joins Callum to explore a career defined by purpose, evidence, and a relentless drive to create healthier environments for all. Spanning more than two decades, Jason’s journey reflects an unwavering commitment to tackling inequality, from frontline policy and landmark research to leading Newham’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

From Social Policy Roots to a Public Health Vision

Jason’s public health story began with a deep focus on child poverty and social inequality, shaped by his years at Save the Children and in various government advisory roles. His passion was ignited during a pivotal period as a social policy adviser to Sir Michael Marmot on the landmark Marmot Review. It was here that Jason realised meaningful change depends on the union of strategic evidence, community-led action, and powerful, accessible communication that compels decision-makers to listen.

Leading in the Eye of the COVID Storm

As Director of Public Health during one of the UK’s hardest-hit periods, **Jason Strelitz** reflects on the devastation, resilience, and community spirit that defined Newham’s experience. Under his leadership, public health moved from the margins to the very heart of local government. Defining moments included the shock of Newham recording the highest national COVID mortality rates, the emotional conversations with multigenerational families navigating risk, and the remarkable community efforts that broke down barriers to vaccination.

These experiences captured in his forthcoming book *Same Storm, Different Boats: Covid, Community, and How We’ve Come Together* highlight how communities weather crisis in diverse ways and underscore the essential role of local trust and partnership in achieving public health success.

Championing Trauma-Informed Practice and Upstream Solutions

Beyond the pandemic, Jason is known for championing innovative, evidence-led solutions such as trauma-informed practice in schools an approach designed to address adverse childhood experiences and keep vulnerable young people engaged in education. He emphasises that lasting change stems from collaboration and continuous learning, whether addressing knife crime, supporting mental health, or helping adults lead healthier, more independent lives.

Blending Public Health and Social Care for Greater Impact

In his unique dual role overseeing both public health and adult social care, Jason applies a lens of prevention, partnership, and adaptability, empowering teams, promoting independence, and driving integrated approaches to complex local challenges. His leadership has fostered multidisciplinary collaboration across initiatives such as Newham’s holistic response to street homelessness and the borough-wide vitamin D campaign, delivered in partnership with over forty community organisations.

Current Priorities and Future Ambitions

Newham continues to face significant inequality, deprivation, and financial pressures. Jason’s team is addressing these challenges head-on from improving youth mental health to tackling cardiovascular disease — by embedding prevention, data-led insight, and cross-sector collaboration into every initiative. The borough’s population is dynamic and diverse, but the mission remains clear: deliver community-centred solutions, foster shared purpose, and close the gap between ambition and action in prevention.

Words for Aspiring Leaders

For future public health professionals, Jason Strelitz offers a powerful message: see yourself as a leader, whatever your title. Aspire to create change, champion values, and ground your work in evidence, collaboration, and integrity. Public health, he reminds us, is about envisioning and realising a better world and every role, no matter how small, holds the potential to drive meaningful transformation.

🎧 Listen now to hear how Jason Strelitz’s reflections — on navigating crisis, fostering collaboration, and empowering new leaders — embody the enduring spirit of public health: equity-driven, community-rooted, and ever-adaptive.

Charlotte Pavitt on Growth, Courage, and Leadership in Public Health

In this Public Health Spotlight snippet, Charlotte Pavit reflects on what it really means to step up not just in title, but in mindset. Drawing on her journey through public health, Charlotte offers a grounded and inspiring message for professionals considering their next move: leadership isn’t about having all the answers, but about having the courage to keep learning, collaborating, and leading with authenticity.

🎧 Listen to Charlotte’s Top Tip

Embracing Growth Through Opportunity

For Charlotte, career progression in public health comes from embracing opportunity even when it feels daunting. She encourages professionals to recognise the value of stepping forward before they feel completely ready:

“You’re never going to feel 100% ready, and that’s okay. Every stretch role, every new challenge, is a chance to grow your confidence and skills.”

Her advice is simple but powerful: take the opportunities that come your way, trust in the experience you already have, and allow learning to happen through action.

Confidence Comes from Connection Embracing Growth Through Opportunity 

One of Charlotte’s strongest messages is the importance of connection both personal and professional. Having a supportive network of peers and mentors helps leaders navigate uncertainty, find reassurance, and maintain perspective:

“Surround yourself with people who challenge and support you in equal measure. Confidence grows when you realise you’re not doing this alone.”

This focus on collaboration reflects the wider ethos of public health: that progress happens when individuals bring their collective expertise to shared challenges.

Communication as a Leadership Superpower

Charlotte highlights communication as a defining skill for aspiring leaders not just presenting ideas clearly, but listening, influencing, and adapting messages to different audiences.

“Being able to translate complex issues into something that resonates is essential. It’s how you build trust, inspire action, and make a real difference.”

In her view, effective communication bridges the gap between public health strategy and real-world impact turning technical insight into meaningful change.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Candidly, Charlotte addresses the challenge of imposter syndrome, something almost every professional encounters when stepping into leadership. She stresses that acknowledging those feelings is the first step in managing them:

“Everyone feels it at some point even the people you look up to. The key is not to let it stop you from saying yes to new challenges.”

Through self-awareness and peer support, Charlotte encourages leaders to build confidence from within and focus on the value they bring to their teams and communities.

Key Takeaways for Aspiring Public Health Leaders

●  Say yes before you feel ready. Growth happens in the stretch.
●  Build strong peer networks. Confidence thrives in connection.
●  Develop your communication skills. Influence is built on clarity and trust.
● Acknowledge imposter feelings. They’re normal, don’t let them define you.
● Keep learning. Leadership is an ongoing journey, not a destination.

 Looking Ahead: Courage, Community, and Continuous Growth

Charlotte Pavitt’s reflections remind us that public health leadership is as much about personal growth as professional development. Stepping up requires courage, curiosity, and compassion qualities that shape the next generation of leaders driving health improvement across systems and communities.

For more leadership journeys, inspiration, and practical advice from public health professionals across the UK, explore the full Public Health Spotlight podcast series.

Building a Better Future: Katrina’s Vision for Westmorland and Furness

In this episode of the Public Health Spotlight, Katrina Stephens, Director of Public Health at Westmorland and Furness Council, joins us to share the story behind her rapid and inspiring ascent to public health leadership. From her beginnings in social policy to shaping the public health strategy of a newly formed unitary authority in one of England’s most unique regions, Katrina reveals what drives her commitment to ensuring vibrant, healthier communities for all.

Learning by Doing: A Career Shaped by Opportunity

Katrina’s journey began with a broad interest in social policy but quickly found focus in hands-on community roles, tackling issues from drugs and alcohol to teenage pregnancy. Early jobs straddling local authority and the NHS provided vital experience in partnership working, the cornerstone of effective public health. A pivotal chapter came when Katrina joined the Department of Health’s Alcohol Harm Reduction national support team, learning the power of peer review, evidence-based recommendations, and immediate action to support communities. “I absolutely loved that job… it was a great team to work in,” Katrina recalls, emphasising the value of both structure and adaptability in public health work.

Rapid Rise to Leadership

Following her public health training in Greater Manchester, Katrina moved into consultancy and unexpectedly soon found herself stepping up as acting Director of Public Health, an experience that fast-tracked her skills and confidence. Supported by strong coaching, colleagues, and leadership development programmes, Katrina embraced the challenge, eventually taking on the substantive DPH role first in Oldham and then, two years ago, in newly created Westmorland and Furness.

Facing Unique Challenges with Optimism

The region faces significant challenges: an aging and rural population, stark inequalities between deprived coastal communities like Barrow and more affluent areas, and public health outcomes that underline the urgency of action on suicide and drug-related deaths. The council’s limited funding, among the lowest per capita in the country, demands creativity, relentless partnership-building, and a commitment to innovation. “We have to be very careful about everything we spend… but we have to be quite innovative,” Katrina notes, highlighting how rural geography and limited provider markets add complexity to commissioning and service delivery.

Barrow: From Challenge to Opportunity

Barrow stands out as a town with both profound needs and unique assets, not least its pivotal role in the UK’s nuclear defence industry. Katrina speaks passionately about turning investment into regeneration, championing healthier workplaces, accessible employment, and support for children and young people. With £200 million of government investment catalysing transformation, Katrina’s team is keen to ensure that growth benefits existing residents and attracts new families for a thriving future.

Investing in People: Recruitment and Talent

Despite recruitment challenges typical of rural authorities, Katrina’s commitment to flexibility, remote working, and “growing our own” talent through support roles has resulted in a fully staffed team ready to meet Westmorland and Furness’s evolving needs. By providing space for career development, especially roles aiding portfolio route registration, Katrina ensures her team’s resilience, vital for service stability in the face of national consultant shortages.

Advice for Aspiring Leaders

Katrina’s message for future DPHs and public health leaders is clear: seize every opportunity, seek out diverse experiences, and don’t wait for the perfect plan, go for it. Public health leadership, she insists, is all about breadth, adaptability, and a passion for making a difference: “Being a DPH is a fantastic job.”

Looking Forward: Strength in Community

Katrina’s optimism is unwavering: from leveraging the strengths of spirited local communities and voluntary sectors to championing innovation in challenging times, her approach is always one of engagement, collaboration, and belief in positive change.

🎧 Listen now via the link below or find us on your preferred podcast platform. Stay tuned for more inspiring stories from Public Health Spotlights, where we continue to showcase leaders building brighter, healthier communities across the UK.

Navigating Change in Local Government: Marc Shares Insights on Interim Leadership and Regeneration

In this episode of Built Environment Briefing, host Alex from Panoramic Associates speaks with Marc, an experienced leader in regeneration and economic development, about a career spanning more than 35 years in planning, consultancy, and interim local government roles. Drawing on his work across the UK from Manchester to Herefordshire, Marc reflects on the challenges, opportunities, and realities of interim leadership in the built environment.

From Planning Beginnings to Regeneration Leadership

Marc’s journey began with a traditional entry into planning, inspired by his father, a local council chair. After formative years with Cheshire County Council and Manchester City Council, where he saw the early days of competitive regeneration funding, he moved into the private sector, then the third sector with the Coalfields Regeneration Trust. Returning to local government, Marc rose to executive roles before embracing the pace and variety of interim leadership. His career demonstrates adaptability, continual growth, and a strong commitment to community impact.

Interim versus Permanent: What Sets Them Apart?

Marc reflects candidly on the differences between interim and permanent leadership. Successful interims, he explains, must “hit the ground running,” deliver swift solutions, and create stable foundations for their successors — all while leaving ego aside. Interims are valued for their neutrality and practical focus but must also be comfortable stepping back from long-term outcomes and internal politics.

Tackling Challenges in Lean Times

From his experience across the country, Marc highlights the recurring challenge of doing “more for less” in an era of austerity. He stresses the need for pragmatic, back-to-basics approaches to regeneration, warning against over-complication and short-lived trends. For him, effective leadership means prioritising sustainable, realistic goals and learning from both success and failure.

Advice for Aspiring Interims

For those considering interim work, Marc advises clarity of purpose and a full understanding of its unique demands. Interim roles, he notes, bring freedom and the opportunity to make a tangible impact, but require humility, adaptability, and a willingness to share knowledge without attachment to outcomes.

Looking Ahead in the Built Environment

As local government faces further change through devolution and restructuring, Marc calls for continued debate that elevates the voices of experienced practitioners. He urges future discussions to focus on practical, real-world solutions to complex challenges — valuing those who “know what they’re talking about” rather than quick-fix answers.

Key Takeaways

• Interim leadership is high impact, requiring rapid delivery and a focus on legacy over ego.
• The most successful regeneration projects often come from getting the basics right, not chasing complexity.
• Financial pressures demand that leaders prioritise sustainable, achievable projects over grand long-term visions.
• Experience and humility are essential to driving sector success and inspiring the next generation.

🎧 Click below to listen or find Built Environment Briefing on your preferred podcast platform. Stay tuned for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of our towns and cities.