New vision of healthcare education set to address growing health inequalities in UK

A new vision of how university education can address health inequalities in UK healthcare is set to be outlined by experts from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU). 

Award-winning former Director of Public Health in Leicester, Professor Ivan Browne, will examine how the changing population and cultural demographic in cities has led to widespread challenges in healthcare provision. 

And he will be joined by Professor Simon Oldroyd, Dean of Health and Life Sciences at DMU, to look at how the university is already adapting its curriculum to better train health students to meet these challenges. 

The pair will present their vision at an event called Decolonising Healthcare, at London’s National Liberal Club, on Wednesday 30 October. 

Professor Browne, who now works as Professor of Public Health and Social Determinants of Health at DMU, will reflect on his experiences leading Leicester’s response to the Covid 19 pandemic, which saw the city placed under tight restriction longer than any other UK city. 

His work during this time won him the 2023 Chief Medical Officer’s National Impact Award. 

He said: “The population in the UK when Nye Bevan created the NHS in 1948 is completely different to that we see today, under Wes Streeting, in 2025. 

“Leicester is a strong example of this. In the last 40 years alone, the population has increased by nearly 50 per cent and the city is now classed as ‘superdiverse’ - having a majority non-white demographic. 

“It is our belief that we need to rethink the way healthcare is taught at university to better reflect this, to make sure graduates both understand the increasingly complex needs of the communities they will serve and be better equipped to meet these needs.” 

Professor Browne and Professor Oldroyd will present their ideas at the event, followed by a discussion with other experts, chaired by Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee. 

The event, which will take place between 5pm and 7pm on October 30, will finish with a drinks and networking reception. To book free tickets, visit the event page.