Torbay Council has officially appointed a new Director of Public Health for Torbay.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant was previously the Director of Public Health for North Yorkshire County Council and is replacing Torbay’s current Director of Public Health, Dr Caroline Dimond, who is retiring this month.

Lincoln joined North Yorkshire County Council in 2012 and was instrumental in establishing and leading the Public Health services and functions in England’s largest county by area, since the transfer of responsibilities from the NHS to Local Government in April 2013.

As well as developing and improving North Yorkshire’s Healthy Child and Sexual Health and Substance Misuse services, he also played an important role in creating, funding and supporting programmes such as Stronger Communities, Living Well (social prescribing), Discoveries on your Doorstep (physical activity), Falls Prevention and Adult Weight Management. More recently, he worked to provide Public Health leadership and expertise in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Previously a consultant in Public Health Medicine with NHS Cambridgeshire, his portfolio included health protection, social inclusion, mental health, and epidemiology with the University of Cambridge, where he was a Recognised Clinical Teacher at the medical school. Lincoln is a medical graduate of University of West Indies and holds postgraduate degrees from University of Cambridge in Epidemiology and Public Health.

Lincoln said of his new appointment: “I am delighted to be appointed to this role and to be able to help tackle some of the challenges that our communities face, particularly those that have arisen since the COVID-19 pandemic. Colleagues across the Council, the wider health sector and the voluntary sector are already working hard to meet these challenges and I am committed to doing all I can to support these efforts.”

Anne-Marie Bond, Interim Chief Executive of Torbay Council, said: “I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Lincoln to Torbay. He comes with a wealth of Public Health experience and will be a great asset. This is a crucial time for COVID-19 as the vaccination and testing programmes gain momentum, so it is great to have Lincoln on board. In addition, his previous portfolios mirror many of our local public health programmes and initiatives, so I am confident that he can build on the great work that is already taking place.

“I would also like to say thank you to Dr Caroline Dimond for everything she has achieved during her time at Torbay Council. Caroline came to us in 2013 and since then has worked on many different projects and initiatives. Her expertise and dedication has enormously benefited the local authority and the communities of Torbay. This has been extremely evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, where Caroline’s expertise and leadership has helped to navigate Torbay through this unprecedented time. On behalf of everyone at Torbay Council, I wish her well in her retirement.”

Councillor Jackie Stockman, Cabinet Member for Public Health, said: “I look forward to working with our new Director of Public Health, Lincoln Sargeant, and know he already has a grasp of the issues we face in Torbay. It is often good to have a fresh pair of eyes which can lead to innovative ways of making a difference to the lives of those most in need. I would also like to wish our retiring Director of Public Health Caroline Dimond all the best for her future, she has been truly inspirational to work with and has also put the residents of the Bay at the heart of every action and decision she has made.”