{"id":219,"date":"2026-06-24T13:44:52","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T13:44:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/?p=219"},"modified":"2026-06-24T14:26:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T14:26:56","slug":"sphere-annual-conference-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/2026\/06\/24\/sphere-annual-conference-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"SPHERE Annual Conference 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The 2026 SPHERE Annual Summer Conference marked an important moment for the SPHERE Team as we entered our fifth year as part of the NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This event, in a change to previous years, was held on the University\u2019s Streatham Campus at the Peter Chalk Centre. The success of last year\u2019s conference meant we needed to find a larger venue than Exeter\u2019s St James Park &#8211; which had kindly hosted us for the past few years, but which we have outgrown \u2013 and one that was also a little cooler!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As usual our Director, Professor GJ Melendez-Torres, welcomed attendees to the morning CPD sessions which kicked off with con-current workshops aimed specifically at third\u2011sector attendees. Workshop 1, \u2018Quantitative Evaluation Methods\u2019, led by Professor Obi Ukoumunne, offered an accessible introduction to how researchers use data to understand what works, for whom, and by how much, while Workshop 2, \u2018Systems Mapping\u2019, facilitated by Daniel Mutanda, guided participants through tools for visualising the complex systems that shape public health issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following a delicious buffet lunch (networking optional!), University of Exeter academic colleagues joined for the afternoon conference which commenced with guest speaker, Dr Nicole Thomas, providing a clear overview of how the NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) supports researchers and communities across England. She explained that the RDN is made up of <em>12 Regional Research Delivery Networks working together as one<\/em>, offering practical help at every stage of the research process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr Abby Russell shared findings from the 4S Project, showing that self\u2011harm and suicide are major public health issues for young people and that schools and youth organisations often struggle with limited resources, stigma, and unclear roles when responding to these concerns. She highlighted what young people say they need most\u2014trust, privacy, compassionate listening, and flexible support\u2014and outlined emerging principles to help schools strengthen prevention and provide safer, more coordinated care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr Gemma Brailey and Kirsty Tooke presented \u2018Topping the Market\u2019, a programme bringing preventive health and wellbeing services directly to farmers by embedding a nurse\u2011led health hub within the Holsworthy Livestock Market, a trusted and central gathering place for the farming community. Their work shows how place\u2011based care, community partnerships, and local advocates can overcome major access barriers\u2014reaching nearly 700 farmers to date and delivering life\u2011saving support in a sector facing high physical, mental health, and suicide risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr Sean Harrison outlined how AI is currently used in public health, showing that while AI tools are being explored across areas such as health improvement, evidence synthesis, and disease forecasting, there is very little reliable evidence that they are effective. He emphasised that future adoption must be cautious, as AI carries significant risks\u2014including bias, inequity, misinformation, and loss of public trust\u2014highlighting the need for stronger evaluation, regulation, and meaningful community involvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our other guest speaker Justin Wen, who travelled all the way from Newcastle, presented a scoping review examining how public health resource allocation decisions are made within England\u2019s Integrated Care Systems, highlighting that despite major structural changes and significant funding cuts, there is limited evidence on how data, tools, and evidence are actually used in these decisions. His findings show that decision\u2011making is shaped by financial, political, organisational, and relational factors, and he emphasised the need for further research on ICS processes, disinvestment, and improving the adaptability of evidence and tools to local contexts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following closing remarks by GJ, the conference drew to a close for another year with the SPHERE Team confident that it succeeded in its aim to bring together colleagues from local authorities, service providers, third sector organisations, community groups, and academic teams for a day focused on shared learning, collaboration, and practical skill\u2011building.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t<div class=\"sp-easy-accordion-block sp-eab-regular-accordion alignwide\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"sp-eab-wrapper sp-eab-vertical-accordion sp-eab-dee6d4b11296\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion sp-eab-mode-vertical sp-eab-vertical-one sp-d-flex' data-accordion-settings=\"{&quot;mode&quot;:&quot;vertical&quot;,&quot;activeEvent&quot;:&quot;click&quot;,&quot;defaultAccordionOpen&quot;:&quot;first-item&quot;,&quot;selectedItemOpen&quot;:0,&quot;openMultiItemAtaTime&quot;:false,&quot;scrollToTopOnLoad&quot;:false,&quot;scrollToTopOnClick&quot;:false,&quot;accordionItemToUrl&quot;:false,&quot;animationEffect&quot;:false,&quot;applyAccessibility&quot;:true}\">\n        \t    \t\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tid =\"sp-eab-item-46ad890712d4\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sp-eab-accordion-item eab-item-b11296\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sp-eab-accordion-item-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class='sp-eab-accordion-heading sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-heading-b11296'\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-icon-position-end'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-start sp-d-flex sp-justify-left sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-title-subtitle-wrapper sp-d-flex'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-text'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCatch up on the presentations\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-end eab-icon-animated'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-expand-collapse-icon sp-d-block'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-expand-icon eab-icon-angle-down-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-collapse-icon eab-icon-angle-up-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- accordion body -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content eab-content-b11296'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-body'>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/CPD-workshop-Intro-Prof.-G.J.-Melendez-Torres.pdf\">Welcome &amp; SPHERE update<\/a> <\/strong><br>Professor GJ Melendez-Torres<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/Workshop-1-Quantitative-Eval-Methods-Obi-Ukoumunne.pptx\">Workshop 1: Quantitative Evaluation Methods<\/a> <\/strong><br>Professor Obi Ukoumunne<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/Workshop-2-Systems-Mapping-Daniel-Mutanda.pdf\">Workshop 2: Systems Mapping<\/a> <\/strong><br>Daniel Mutanda<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What the RDN can do for researchers and communities <\/strong><br>Dr Nicole Thomas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Support for self-harm and suicide in schools and youth organisations: findings and principles of practice <\/strong><br>Dr Abby Russell<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/4.-Market-Health-Hub-Kirsty-and-Gemma.pdf\">Topping the market: bringing health and care services to farmers<\/a> <\/strong><br>Dr Gemma Brailey and Kirsty Tooke<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/Understanding-What-Works-Kath-Wilkinson-Daniel-Mutanda.pdf\"><strong>Understanding what works: evaluating voluntary sector action on health inequalities <\/strong><\/a><br>Kath Wilkinson and Daniel Mutanda<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/6.-Exploration-of-PH-Decision-Making-Justin-Wen.pdf\">An exploration of decision-making in public health resource allocation in the context of integrated care systems in England<\/a> <\/strong><br>Justin Wen<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/5.-AI-in-PH-Sean-Harrison.pdf\">AI in public health reviews<\/a> <\/strong><br>Dr Sean Harrison<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tid =\"sp-eab-item-9456be7d5531\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sp-eab-accordion-item eab-item-b11296\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sp-eab-accordion-item-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class='sp-eab-accordion-heading sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-heading-b11296'\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-icon-position-end'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-start sp-d-flex sp-justify-left sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-title-subtitle-wrapper sp-d-flex'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-text'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tImages\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-end eab-icon-animated'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-expand-collapse-icon sp-d-block'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-expand-icon eab-icon-angle-down-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-collapse-icon eab-icon-angle-up-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- accordion body -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content eab-content-b11296'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-body'>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img 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is-style-rectangular wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"789\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-06-24-at-09.55.56-6-1024x789.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-249\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-06-24-at-09.55.56-6-1024x789.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-06-24-at-09.55.56-6-300x231.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-06-24-at-09.55.56-6-768x592.jpeg 768w, 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class=\"wp-image-261\" style=\"width:790px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-06-24-at-09.55.56-18-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-06-24-at-09.55.56-18-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-06-24-at-09.55.56-18-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-06-24-at-09.55.56-18.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"722\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-06-24-at-09.55.56-8-722x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-271\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-06-24-at-09.55.56-8-722x1024.jpeg 722w, https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-06-24-at-09.55.56-8-211x300.jpeg 211w, https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-06-24-at-09.55.56-8-768x1090.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/sphere-newsandevents\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/753\/2026\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-06-24-at-09.55.56-8.jpeg 879w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 722px) 100vw, 722px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 2026 SPHERE Annual Summer Conference marked an important moment for the SPHERE Team as we entered our fifth year as part of the NIHR [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3079,"featured_media":223,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>SPHERE Annual Conference 2026 - SPHERE News &amp; Events<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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