The Public Realm Lecture Series: Anna Coote

Early intervention is essential to prevent harm in society, according to the Head of Social Policy at the new economics foundation, who will deliver a thought-provoking talk at Edge Hill University.

The University continues a major series of open lectures on the theme of the ‘Public Realm' with a stimulating talk by guest speaker Anna Coote.

Moving Upstream: The Triple Prize of Preventative Government takes place on Tuesday 8th November at the Ormskirk Campus.

In her talk, Anna will explore the case for upstream intervention to prevent harm across society, environment and the economy, identifying common themes as well as differences. She will argue that intervening early to prevent harm has three major advantages:

• Improves human well-being and quality of life, and helps to build resilience;
• Safeguards public resources for dealing with unavoidable risks and promoting positive benefits;
• Reduces the need for heavy-handed government intervention to treat or cure 'downstream', avoiding ill-being, damage and dysfunction.

In these challenging times of a recession, the University has initiated a series of public lectures and debates on the ‘Public Realm', its meaning and its future. Anna Coote will enrich the series with her thought-provoking talk, where she will argue that preventative government can be understood not as needless, interfering nannying, but as a liberating force and an essential feature of sustainable development.

Anna Coote is a leading analyst, writer and advocate in the fields of public health, welfare reform, sustainable development, public services, inequality, gender, democracy and participation.

Responsible for groundbreaking work on health and sustainable development as Commissioner for Health with the UK Sustainable Development Commission (2000-2009), she led the Healthcare Commission's work on engaging patients and the public (2005-2008) and was Director of Health Policy at the King's Fund (1998-2004). Anna is now Head of Social Policy at the new economics foundation, an independent organisation that aims to improve quality of life by promoting ideas that challenge mainstream thinking on economic, environment and social issues.

The lecture is free to attend and spaces are limited. To book your place, email corporateevents@edgehill.ac.uk. Arrival is 5.30pm with drinks with canapés, ready for a 6.30pm start and refreshments and networking afterwards.