STEPHEN SMITH: And now we come to our Honorary Award. These are awarded by the University in recognition of somebody who's made a very significant contribution in their particular field. And I now have great pleasure in inviting Professor Keith McLay, Provost Learning and Teaching to give the commendation for the conferment of the Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University to Dr Robyn Dewis.
PROFESSOR KEITH MCLAY: It gives me great pleasure to be presenting today, Dr Robyn Dewis for the award of Honorary Doctor of the University.
Robyn is the Director of Public Health for Derby City Council responsible for determining the overall vision and objectives for public health within Derby. She grew up in Rutland and went on to study Medicine at Sheffield University before training to be a General Practitioner in Scarborough.
Growing up, Robyn wanted to be an Astrophysicist. She met a programmer of the Voyager Spacecraft when she was 10 and was hugely inspired. It was when she moved to secondary school that she realised her favourite science was Biology and not Physics and decided at the age of 11 that she wanted to be a doctor.
After her studies, Robyn worked as a GP in Scarborough where she witnessed first-hand the impact of the local economy, jobs, and housing on the health of the local population. She was inspired by the Director of Public Health for North Yorkshire to move into Public Health when she was told "The best thing you could do to improve the health of the population of Scarborough would be to make the road from York a dual carriageway". This was such an abstract thought, yet it made perfect sense that improving the economy is significantly, both through tourism and manufacturing, would have a positive impact on health. Robyn felt this was an area where she could make most difference to people's health and moved to Derby to join the East Midlands Public Health training programme.
Robyn obtained her first consultant role at Derby City Primary Care Trust and transferred to Derby City Council under the Health and Social Care Act in 2013.
She was honoured to be able to take on the role of Director of Public Health, first in an acting capacity in November 2019, and then as a substantive role from November 2020.
She had only been in post a couple of months before the Covid-19 pandemic began. One of the earliest challenges during the pandemic was lack of access to local data. The team were only aware of the number of cases publicly reported for Derby. They also needed to develop quickly a local health protection response which in normal times was mostly covered by Public Health England. This meant adapting, developing new skills and working at pace, a process Robyn describes as 'building the airplane whilst flying'.
Robyn's team developed close working relationships with colleagues in Environmental Health establishing testing sites, developed contact tracing, and increased communication with the public. Her contact with the media moved from sporadic engagements to twice weekly radio interview slots.
In the summer of 2020, Robyn was able, virtually, to meet key members of the University to begin working together to ensure a safe return to lectures and to teaching. Strong working relationships were built, and regular meetings took place to review cases and the measures in place to protect staff and students. Robyn was able to seek support through the local NHS for the development of the University's Asymptomatic Testing Site and the University was able to support the development of the City site.
Robyn was the first in her family to go to university and was always encouraged in her ambition by her family. She is supported today by her dad Alfred and husband Stephen, who kept home running for their two children, Hannah and Matthew, during a time when their mum was so busy.
Chancellor, in recognition of her achievements and significant support during the Covid-19 pandemic, we are delighted to award Dr Robyn Dewis the award of Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University.
DOCTOR ROBYN DEWIS: Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Vice Lord Lieutenant, Deputy Mayor of Derby, honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, and most importantly graduates of 2021. Firstly, I would like to express how grateful and honoured I am to be here with you today. Thank you so much for this award.
My desire to become a doctor emerged early for me and combined my love of science with my desire to make a difference for people. My journey since then has been about finding the place in which I can best achieve that. My eyes were very unexpectedly open to public health whilst working as a GP. Particularly witnessing the challenges of living in a deprived seaside town, where the population have limited opportunities and limited ability to be ambitious. Housing, education, unemployment, drug addiction, and poverty were the strongest influences on health outcomes. The impact of our place on our life opportunities and so our health is so significant.
I have frequently reflected on what we can do here in Derby to ensure that our place has a positive impact on the health of those who live here. We have long-standing inequalities to tackle. A child born in Allestree can currently expect to live 10 years more than a child born in Arboretum who will also live more of their life in poor health.
I am ambitious for what we can achieve together to improve the health of the city and education and aspiration will be a key influence on our progress.
The past 20 months have been described as the most challenging time ever in public health. Agreed, they have been incredibly difficult, but my concern is that we have a further wave of public health challenges ahead. We know that the pre-existing inequalities in health outcomes in our city have been exacerbated. We know that those who have had limited choice and control over their work and home life over this time have been disproportionately affected. We know that children from more disadvantaged backgrounds have been more negatively impacted by home learning. We believe that alcohol abuse and domestic violence have increased, and our early data indicates that levels of excess weight in children have increased significantly. We are moving into a period of severe health challenges that may not be yet fully apparent but will need all of us to work together to tackle them.
However, I do also have some positive reflections. These past 20 months have also taught us a great deal and public health professionals and their language have never been so well known. Little did I know that the R number would frequently crop up in everyday conversation. We have all gained a fuller understanding of the impact our life opportunities and environment have on our health. Health inequalities, the unjust and avoidable difference in health outcomes have a greater acknowledgment and emphasis and particular a renewed focus from the NHS.
The disadvantages created by poverty and discrimination can no longer be ignored. Also, we now have incredibly strong working relationships across the city and the county throughout the public sector, the University, the voluntary and community sector, the faith sector, and business.
I've had the pleasure of working closely with University colleagues along with my team members, often meeting several times a week to assess risks and to problem solve together. The challenges ahead are huge but the opportunities that these relationships offer us for the future are incredible.
I have considered what has been most important to me over this time, to work with a fantastic, flexible and dedicated team without whom I simply could not have done it. To work within a supportive organisation who believed in me enough to offer me the opportunity to become their DPH and to end each day feeling that I've done my best to make a difference to people's health and lives.
Thank you to my public health and wider council colleagues. I would also like to thank my family, my husband, and my parents for their continued support and encouragement, and my children, Hannah and Matthew, who have shared me so graciously.
Finally, to the graduates of 2021, I wish you every success in your careers ahead. Your knowledge, skills, and dedication are so needed and appreciated, and I hope we will get a chance to work together in the years to come to improve the health of the people in Derby and Derbyshire. Thank you.
Dr Robyn Dewis commendation video
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