New director of Public Health announced

Dr Matt Tyrer comes from the UK to take on the role

A new director of Public Health has just been announced.

Professor Hugo van Woerden had been in the role on an interim basis after Dr Henrietta Ewart left in May 2022.

Dr Matt Tyrer took up the position on 30 September 2024.

He has moved to the Island from the UK, where he's been Director of Public Health for Cheshire East Council for the past five years.

A trained doctor with more than a decade of public health experience, Dr Tyrer led an award-winning team through the COVID-19 pandemic, chaired Cheshire and Merseyside Public Health Collaborative, and developed Cheshire East Council as a public health training and development location.

He's also an honorary lecturer in public health at Keele University.

Dr Tyrer says his team will now focus on long term population health for the Island. 

"I want to bring my passion for improving health and wellbeing to this spectacular and unique island community. 

"I firmly believe that we can do things now that will make things better for ourselves, our children and generations to come and I look forward to working to create a healthy and happy future for the Isle of Man."