Sir Harry’s principal interest is in using Improvement Science to transform the lives of people, particularly children and young people living socially difficult lives. Sir Harry uses evidence to support his argument that adversity in early years can have considerable, biological consequences in later life. More widely, his focus is on how societies can create “wellness” – where health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, not merely the absence of illness. By looking at the association of social patterns and health, it is possible to develop interventions which are aimed at narrowing health inequalities and enabling individuals to find meaning and have a sense of coherence in their lives.
To be effective, this requires collaboration across health, education, social services, academia and government. Sir Harry’s work reflects this range and scope.