Prof Penny Cook

Professor of Public Health, The University of Salford.
Associate Dean: Research and Innovation for the School of Health and Society

Professor Penny Cook is Professor of Public Health at The University of Salford. In 2022 she was successfully appointed as Associate Dean: Research and Innovation for the School of Health and Society. She is a Manchester Conference Ambassador, having been involved in hosting events in Greater Manchester.

The UK has one of the highest estimated rates of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in the world, but these conditions are commonly misunderstood, under-recognised and under-diagnosed.
 

University of Salford Conference on Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) 2019
 

A specialist FASD conference, approved by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, was held at the University of Salford Media City campus in Salford Quays on Thursday 12th December, 2019. Delegates heard from internationally renowned speakers on the history of FASD, diagnosis, issues around drinking in pregnancy, the presentation of FASD, the life experience of FASD, the experience of caring for a young person with FASD, prevalence, complexities with trauma and attachment issues, comorbidity with other disorders, issues around social care, national healthcare guidelines, and behaviour management of children with FASD.

The conference was opened by Dean of Health and Society Professor Margaret Rowe, and the first speaker was MP Bill Esterson, who is the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on FASD. Other speakers included researchers, clinicians, a specialist FASD trainer and the chief executive of a national FASD charity. The conference also featured a discussion with a young adult, Robert, with FASD about his own experience of living with the condition.

The conference was fully sold-out to a range of professionals and families involved in FASD. Delegate feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with over 80% of respondents rating the venue, registration, catering, and management of the conference as very good or excellent, and over 95% rating the content as very good or excellent.

FASD in the UK: Building on 20 years of progress
 

Following the success of the 2019 conference, another meeting has been announced to take place at The Universoty of Salford on 30th March 2023. 

The University of Salford, in association with Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership and the National Organisation FASD, will be hosting a one-day conference on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), to celebrate the progress made in knowledge and understanding of the condition in the UK in over the past twenty years and to highlight the current priorities.

Featuring current research, policy and practice in FASD, this event will be of interest to policy makers, clinicians, researchers, practitioners and those who support and care for those with FASD.