Durka is a medical consultant and public health specialist who has been working in the NHS for 25 years. Durka is passionate about transforming the approach of the health and care system in England so that it is much more joined up, equitable, effective in preventing as well as treating ill-health, and focussed on enabling people (patients, families, staff and communities) to be as healthy as possible for as long as possible. For the last 10 years, Durka has been leading efforts through a variety of roles on population health and tackling health inequalities across UK and more globally. She has supported many individuals, organisations and systems to progress their efforts forwards for this and is proud to be recognised as a trusted leader in this space. Durka is the Chief Executive of the Centre for Population Health, a Non-Executive Director for NHS Trusts, and an Academic supporting University College London and University of East London.

Merron is a national and local advisor on people, places, health, housing, systems change. She has extensive senior-level experience often across professional domains. A former Head of Policy at the Chartered Institute of Housing, Merron has worked with local authorities, primary care networks, housing associations, Kings Fund, NHS England, NHS Property Services, Royal College of General Practitioners, Health Foundation, National Housing Federation, Local Government Association, Royal Town Planning Institute and others. She started her career clinical diagnostics R&D after studying biochemistry before changing direction, embarking on a Masters in Housing Studies. Merron’s passion is to bring congruence between policies, services and the reality of people’s and communities’ lives. She blends her influencing and thought leadership capabilities, cross-sector knowledge, experience working in complex environments and deep interest in people to shift power and drive tangible change.

Brian has been a GP in south east London for 42 years. Brian has been interested in user involvement in the NHS for a long time. He was successful in getting Department of Health funding for the ground-breaking Health Empowerment Leverage Project (HELP) which developed a business case for community development in health, based on the highly successful ‘7 Step Model’ developed by former health visitor Hazel Stuteley in several deprived areas of Devon and Cornwall. Brian was awarded an MBE for community development in 2007.