LPFT and University of Lincoln get involved in Population Health Fellowship scheme

Lincolnshire residents will benefit thanks to the second rollout of a Health Education England scheme designed to improve the health of a wider range of people.

Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Lincoln have teamed up to successfully secure the funding needed to welcome a clinical member of staff as part of the second cohort of the Population Health Fellowship scheme.

Ojali Yusuff, who has eight years of experience as a Pharmacist, has started work on a secondment as a Population Health Fellow in the county for two days a week.

Population Health is an approach aimed at improving the health of an entire population while also working to reduce health inequalities.

It requires working with communities and partner agencies to address negative factors on health such as being homeless or unemployed.

Ojali, who started her role in September, says she is delighted to have secured a role where she can make a big impact on the care available for people living in Lincolnshire in the future.

She said: “Through Pharmacy colleagues, I saw the role being advertised in another region and I was encouraged to enquire about the fellowship in my region; I thought it was the kind of opportunity I just couldn’t afford not to apply for.”

“I am super excited to learn about population health, and I believe that as frontline health care professionals we are in pivotal roles to really help shape and provide insight on how best our services should operate for the benefit of the local populations we serve.

“I am looking forward to being a part of this fellowship to learn, share and grow with past and current fellows in such an important programme.”

The role, which is also being performed in collaboration with Lincoln International Institute of Rural Health, will last for 12 months, and will involve Ojali being overseen by academics while working on the project.

Deputy Medical Director and Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist at LPFT, Jaspreet Phull is delighted Lincolnshire was chosen for the project.

He said: “The HEE population health fellow is a great opportunity for a healthcare professional to develop their skills and contribute to population health.

“The fellowship is a part time programme allowing the post holder to lead on a population health-based project and obtain experience of practice and contribute to a specific population health subject, such as the physical health needs for patients who have a mental illness amongst others. 

“We are very pleased that we have made an appointment in Lincolnshire and that the successful applicant is now in post.”

Dr Josie Solomon, Head of School of Pharmacy added: “On behalf of the School of Pharmacy at the University of Lincoln we’d like to congratulate Ojali Yusuff on this achievement.

“We look forward to working collaboratively with LPFT”.