Tracy Flute is an Assistant Director and Public Health Consultant at Wirral Council. She has over 26 years’ experience working across Cheshire and Merseyside, and throughout her career has been part of a strong regional public health community, shaped by collaboration, shared learning, and long-standing professional relationships.
The Champs Collaborative has played a key role in supporting Tracy’s development, providing access to networks, CPD opportunities, and a culture that balances support with constructive challenge. These connections have enabled ongoing learning, problem-solving, and collaboration across the system, helping Tracy to grow professionally while contributing to complex public health programmes.
This support was particularly important during Tracy’s progression through the specialist registration portfolio route. Alongside local mentoring and leadership support, the regional learning environment helped her navigate the demands of the portfolio and achieve consultant registration, a major milestone that enabled her to take on her current role.
Now, Tracy is passionate about workforce development. As a UKPHR assessor and lead trainer, she supports others through their own public health pathways, helping to sustain and strengthen the workforce across Cheshire and Merseyside.
Read more about Tracy’s story below.
What first attracted you to public health and how did you start your career in public health?
I started my career in public health 26 years ago, just after finishing university. I’d returned to university as a mature student, having had my family young, and completed a degree in maths and statistics, but I wasn’t really sure what to do next. I didn’t have a clear plan, and then I came across an advert for a junior health and surveillance analyst role. It sounded interesting, although if I’m honest, I probably didn’t really know what public health was at the time. The role sat within a public health team in a health authority.
To my surprise, I got the job. I was working with a consultant in Environmental Public Health as part of a wider public health team. We had secured funding from local industry to set up a Health and Environment Surveillance System, looking at the long-term health impacts of land contamination and environmental risk factors. It was a very steep learning curve, especially as we were using what was then the latest GIS technology.
I loved the role, but what I loved even more was the exposure to the wider public health team and the work they were doing. The data we had access to really appealed to the data geek in me, and what truly struck me was what that data revealed about the impact of the wider determinants of health on people’s lives and outcomes. I found that genuinely shocking.
Even within the first few weeks of the job, despite the steep learning curve, I knew this was what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to work in that broader public health role.
How has your journey in public health progressed since then?
With the exception of one year working in national government, I’ve spent my career in Cheshire and Merseyside. My first role in health was within a health authority in the region, so I’ve been involved with the Champs Collaborative almost since its inception.
That initial 6-month contract got extended. And then following that I applied for a Senior Public Health Analyst position. I spent a couple of years gaining experience in quantitative analysis for Public Health and epidemiology. I took whatever opportunities I could to gain more experience. I then spent a few years in a more senior Public Health Intelligence role; heading up a team of analysts, researchers and working to really embed the evidence in all that we did as a team. I absolutely loved that role and had some fantastic people in the team, but after a couple of years I knew I wanted to broaden my knowledge and experience, and get some wider Public Health understanding and knowledge, and to put some theory behind my on-the-job learning.
I did the MPH (2005/7) at University of Liverpool while working full-time and from there, I then explored how I might take the next steps in my career. I was successful in getting a broader role, which still included Intel (which will probably always be my passion) but also included wider aspects of Public Health. This broader role really provided me with everything I needed to confirm that I wanted to progress in my career in Public Health.
What support have you had along the way from your employer and others along your journey?
I’ve had a lot of support along the way, starting with my first six-month contract, which was then extended before I applied for a wider role within the team.
At that time, I was very new to the field and received a great deal of support to learn the ropes. Throughout my career, I have been incredibly fortunate, with supportive managers and Directors of Public Health, who inspired me, believed in me and encouraged me to pursue the portfolio route to specialist registration. Achieving specialist registration with UKPHR enabled me to apply for my current post as an Assistant Director and Consultant in Public Health based at Wirral Council.
It’s been a two-way process. When I started out, I was extremely enthusiastic and keen to learn, and I was very aware of how much I didn’t know. I embraced every opportunity, and I’ve been fortunate to have managers and directors who enabled me to do that, all stemming from that initial six-month contract.
How has the Champs Collaborative helped you to Connect, Learn, Thrive and progress your career?
I’ve worked in and around Cheshire and Merseyside for over 26 years, so I’ve always felt part of the Champs Collaborative. We’re incredibly fortunate in the region to have such a proactive, long-standing network. This includes both formal networking arrangements and strong informal relationships, meaning there’s always someone you can reach out to when starting a new piece of work. Alongside this, there are well-established CPD programmes that have been running for many years.
We’ve always had excellent opportunities, right through to the current Connect, Learn, Thrive public health pathway guidance. There is a strong collaborative culture that supports people, while also offering constructive challenge, whether that’s for individual development, professional growth, or the programmes of work we collaborate on. It’s a really strong model, and we’re very lucky to have it in Cheshire and Merseyside.
Being able to learn from others and connect with people across the system is so important. The informal learning opportunities are often the most valuable. They allow you to learn not only from colleagues within your own organisation or local authority, but also from others across the system who are at different stages in their work. That level of shared learning is invaluable.
What is your biggest career achievement to date?
Completing the portfolio route to specialist consultant registration has been a real highlight for me. I was very well supported throughout the process and was fortunate to have a Director of Public Health and a mentor who encouraged me and supported me every step of the way.
It was a significant undertaking, which I completed alongside my job, and it took a couple of years to achieve. Gaining that registration then gave me the opportunity to apply for my current role and take on a Consultant in Public Health position. Achieving specialist registration was a major milestone in my career.
What’s next for you… do you have plans to progress your career further?
I’ve been in this role for just over two years, and I absolutely love what I do. The role brings together many of the aspects of public health that I enjoy most, particularly workforce development. I’m also a lead trainer and a UKPHR assessor, which I find incredibly rewarding. Workforce development is an area I’m especially passionate about, as it allows me to support others with their career pathways and routes into the profession.
One of the defining features of public health is that people find their way into it through many different routes. Everyone’s journey is different. I don’t have my next step planned at the moment, I’m really happy in my current role and focused on supporting others on their journeys.
What advice would you give to others thinking of starting or progressing their career in Public Health?
Firstly, I’d encourage anyone considering it, public health is a fantastic profession and a truly rewarding job. It’s incredibly varied, and whatever route you take into it, or whatever skills and background you bring, you’ll have something valuable to contribute. No two days are ever the same.
If you’re looking to get started, think about where your strengths lie and what attracted you to public health in the first place, and build on those foundations. Take opportunities to talk to people and make connections, so much of public health is about softer skills and relationship building. When you’re starting out and planning your career, those connections really matter. Seek out opportunities, including shadowing, and make the most of them.
Case study: June 2026
