In this second episode, host and Fuse Public Partner, Victoria Bartle, speaks with Professor Eugene Milne.

Eugene talks with Victoria about how he got started in public health research and how Fuse was developed. He shares his thoughts on the public health strategy for the North East and discusses the importance of collaborative working and public involvement. Victoria quizzes Eugene about future public health initiatives, his proudest moments as Director of Public Health and any key messages he might have for central government.

Eugene answers the big question: "If you had one message for our listeners to take away, what would it be?" Listen now to find out.

Eugene Milne has recently retired as the Director of Public Health at Newcastle City Council and has been awarded an MBE for his leadership of Newcastle’s public health response to Covid-19. Eugene is an Honorary Emeritus Professor of Public Health at Newcastle University and was awarded the FPH Alwyn Smith Prize in 2022 for “outstanding contribution to public health”. He has published work on tobacco control, ageing, health economics and a variety of public health topics.

Victoria Bartle is this episode's host. She is a public partner who has collaborated closely with Fuse and the wider public partner-led podcast planning group in creating the 'Public Health Research & Me' podcast. Victoria has been involved with research from a patient and public perspective since she had to stop working in 2016 due to multiple long-term health conditions. Victoria is passionate about health and social care research, and feels that the input from every public partner makes research more focused and beneficial to all.

Resources and further information

Fuse

Fresh – making smoking history

Balance – Getting the measure of alcohol

Our Future Health – Let’s prevent disease together

With special thanks to the Fuse podcast group (Emma Adams, Victoria Bartle, David Black, Cheryl Blake, Mandy Cheetham, Lesley Haley, Fiona Ling, Cassey Muir, John O’Shea, Laura Ritson, Viola Rook, Cheryl Wiscombe), David Winter (editing) and Shaun O'Boyle (training). Produced by Ella Anderson and Mark Welford. Music: Tuesday (Glitch Soft Hip-hop) by amaksi.

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Contact for more information: info@fuse.ac.uk

For a copy of the transcript: info@fuse.ac.uk⁠