Representatives from the Ministry of Health, Environment and Sustainability have returned to Cayman, after attending the UK Overseas Territories Public Health Conference in London. The Ministry said the trip will inform public health policy in the Cayman Islands through shared experience, site visits and meetings with overseas partners. The delegation attended the conference in London alongside public health leaders from across the overseas territories and partner organisations, including the UK Health Security Agency and the Caribbean Public Health Agency. The trip also allowed officials to compare approaches with other jurisdictions and examine how they addressed health protection, emergency preparedness, prevention, health security and health inequalities through community engagement.

The conference brings together health leaders across the territories

The conference drew delegates from most of the UK Overseas Territories, along with representatives from UKHSA, CARPHA and other partner organisations. Chief Medical Officer Dr Hilary Wolf, Chief Nursing Officer Felicia McLean, Policy Support Officer Halle Miller and Chief Officer Tamara Ebanks were among those who took part on behalf of the Cayman Islands. Delegates delivered presentations on their own experiences, challenges, and local responses to public health issues. That exchange gave participants the chance to compare approaches and to look at what had worked in different settings. The discussions focused on shared public health priorities and the use of evidence-based action to improve health outcomes through prevention, collaboration and innovation. The programme covered a wide range of topics. These included health protection, emergency preparedness, prevention, health equity, behavioural science, community resilience and the tackling of health inequalities. A keynote address by Professor Kevin Fenton CBE highlighted the need to build trust through consistent engagement with communities and to use system-wide approaches to improve health outcomes. The conference gave officials a wider view of how public health policy could be strengthened by drawing on regional experience and by working closely with communities and partner agencies.

Site visits show how partnerships improved outcomes

As part of the conference itinerary, the Ministry delegation also joined three site visits hosted by Lewisham Council and local health partners. The visits gave officials first-hand insight into how partnership working had been used to address health needs in diverse communities. The first stop was the Lewisham District Office, where delegates learned about the borough's Health Equity Teams programme. The initiative had been developed to address racial health inequalities through partnership working. The second visit highlighted the North Lewisham Primary Care Network and Red Ribbon's Healthy Hearts programme, which showed collaborative approaches to cardiovascular health and community engagement. The third focused on the Lewisham Alliance Primary Care Network and Coco Collective's Plantain Programme, which demonstrated another partnership model aimed at improving health outcomes. Officials said the site visits showed examples of collaboration between primary care providers, local authorities and voluntary sector organisations that aimed to improve population health and support more equitable outcomes. Delegates also looked at how those initiatives used local data, community trust and cross-sector working to target interventions more effectively. Those lessons were seen as particularly useful for Cayman, where public health planning depends on strong coordination across services and on approaches that reflect the needs of the island community. Officials said the visits offered practical examples that could help shape future policy and partnership work at home.

Officials say the trip has strengthened Cayman’s partnerships

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hilary Wolf said the conference reinforces the value of Cayman’s long-standing relationship with public health partners in the United Kingdom: “The UK Overseas Territories benefited significantly from the expertise, technical support and resources available through our partnership with the UK Health Security Agency and other UK organisations. These longstanding relationships enable us to share knowledge, learn from emerging evidence and strengthen our collective capacity to respond to public health challenges. As we continue to develop public health policy in the Cayman Islands, these partnerships remain an invaluable resource.” Chief Nursing Officer Felicia McLean said the discussions at the conference placed strong emphasis on prevention, health equity and community engagement: “Many of the discussions focused on prevention, health equity and community engagement. These are priorities that resonate in the Cayman Islands, and it was valuable to learn how other jurisdictions are working across sectors to improve health outcomes and strengthen community resilience.” Policy Support Officer Halle Miller said it had been a privilege to engage with colleagues from across the region. She said she left with a renewed appreciation for the commitment shown by public health professionals across the territories and looked forward to future collaboration on health security and improved outcomes. Chief Officer Tamara Ebanks also said the Ministry's participation had given policy teams valuable experience and practical knowledge: “Our participation and presence at the UK Overseas Territories Public Health Conference provides invaluable experience to our policy teams, strengthens relationships with regional and international partners and provides practical knowledge that will support the development of evidence-based public health policy in the Cayman Islands.”

What the Ministry will do next

The Ministry says it will use the knowledge gained from the conference and site visits to support the development of public health policy in the Cayman Islands. It also says it will continue working with partners across the UK Overseas Territories and beyond. The aim is to build on the lessons learned in London and apply them to local planning, health security and service improvement. For Cayman’s residents, that could mean better-informed policy decisions, stronger partnerships and a public health system that is better prepared to respond to future challenges. The Ministry says it remains committed to working collaboratively to improve health outcomes, strengthen health security and support a healthier future for all Cayman Islands residents.