The science and art of prioritisation is a key function of public health; using a variety of scientific methods to identify matters that impact on health and wellbeing, deciding which are the most pertinent in each context and then mobilising the allocation of resource in response. Epidemiology and economics are arguably two of the dominant disciplines that drive this process and are central to the public health profession in the UK. While these are valuable, there are emerging sciences and perspectives that could enhance efforts to improve public health. This is moving beyond a ‘health in all policies’ approach to adapting our prioritisation science and evolving the art of effecting change.

In the ever-increasing field of urban measurement and analysis, the challenges facing cities are frequently presumed or defined politically rather than diagnosed. This masterclass explores approaches to diagnosing the challenges facing cities. This is to apply approaches developed in medicine to diagnose urban challenges and to inform policy prioritization, development and intervention.

This masterclass explores the principles and approaches for the transferability of this new urban diagnostic methodology to other cities. This is an approach to problem solving that seeks to identify a range of solutions, using a system thinking approach, which values responsible inclusive growth and advocates a radical prevention agenda.

The format of the masterclass includes two interactive discussions and active participation that will be facilitated by a boardgame that will be used to explore urban public health and system and process interdependencies. In the afternoon we will explore some of the regional approaches taken discuss how to advance and enhance public health by reading cities.

The masterclass is led by Prof. John Bryson and Dr Suzanne Bartington (both University of Birmingham) and Prof. Alister James Scott. John holds the Chair in Enterprise and Economic Geography at the University of Birmingham, Suzanne is Clinical Research Fellow and Honorary Specialty Registrar in Public Health, University of Birmingham) and Alister is Professor in Environmental Geography, Northumbria University. John and Suzanne are both involved in a five-year NERC funded project that is applying an urban diagnostics approach to the problem of air quality in British cities.

Reading City-Regions as a Process of Urban Diagnostics Masterclass