Alison Frater
As a senior leader in public health, Dr Alison Frater demonstrates a strong commitment to social justice with a track record of achievement in addressing health inequalities and improving equitable access to health and health care. She was Director of Public Health in Bristol, North Hampshire and in NHS England (London) managing large teams and budgets with responsibility for health strategy including using the arts in health promotion, prevention, and health protection. She also worked as a chief officer in the voluntary sector.
Taking an evidence-based approach has been a central tenet of her work. She has a PhD in cancer epidemiology and held academic positions in the University of Southampton and as a visiting professor at Royal Holloway, University of London. She is currently the public health lead on a randomised controlled trial based at University College London evaluating mentalisation based therapy in reducing violent behaviour. The study aims to improve life chances for individuals and their families and to reduce the extent and impact of crime in communities.
As Chair of the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) she become a passionate advocate for the transforming value of arts. She worked across government departments: arts and culture – and justice, to build support for all arts organisations working in the criminal justice system. She helped to significantly raise the profile of the NCJAA gaining Arts Council England funded National Portfolio Organisation status and supporting the development of a major research study funded by the ESRC and Paul Hamlyn Foundation on the effectiveness of arts programmes. She has continued her advocacy for addressing social inequalities through providing equity of access to performing arts chairing Clean Break, a theatre company working with women affected by the criminal justice system or at risk of entering it. More recently, by becoming involved in Blue Apple theatre company working with learning disabled and autistic young adults and as a trustee of Hijinx. She has published widely in the scientific and lay press including on the transforming value of the arts.
