Public Health Spotlight S2 EP5 – Katrina Stephens

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, emphasizing 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.