Heseltine Institute Policy Briefing 3(32)
40 years of WHO Healthy Cities in Liverpool: lessons in long-term, place-based leadership
Liverpool joined the first cohort of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Healthy Cities in 1986, during a period of immense social and economic upheaval. The city’s public health challenges ran deep, but so did its civic identity and willingness to try new approaches. This policy briefing, authored by Professor Matthew Ashton, Professor John Ashton and Craig Hamilton, reflects on 40 years of that journey – what made the greatest difference in practice, what was challenging, and what may matter most for the years ahead. It argues that the central lesson is clear: long-term, place-based action can strengthen the foundations of health, but only when combined with realistic expectations, sustained investment and alignment across all levels of the local and national system.
Professor Matthew Ashton is Director of Public Health for Liverpool City Council, appointed in 2020, with a joint role as Honorary Professor at the University of Liverpool. He leads a multidisciplinary team, oversaw Liverpool’s COVID-19 response, and is nationally recognised for leadership in partnership working, prevention and reducing health inequalities.
Professor John Ashton CBE is widely regarded as the founder of Liverpool’s Healthy Cities approach and a leading figure in the WHO Healthy Cities Network. As a public health leader at local, regional and national level he has consistently championed prevention, community participation and system change, embedding health equity and wider determinants into policy, practice and international urban health leadership.
Craig Hamilton is a Senior Public Health Practitioner in Liverpool specialising in the wider determinants of health. He leads work on prevention, Marmot principles and reducing inequalities, supporting partnerships, community engagement and evidence-informed policy. His work strengthens Liverpool’s Healthy Cities approach through collaboration and long-term place-based action.
DOI: 10.17638/03194543