Public Health and Healthcare Management Consultancy

Steve Penfold MA FRSPH FCMI is mtwenty's Director of Public Health and International Development.

30 years' experience in public health and healthcare management, including 14 years in the NHS and Department of Health, and over 16 years in global health and international development. Programme design and delivery from £5m to £160m, at local, regional and national level in the UK, and at national level in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Jordan, Haiti and the Kyrgyz Republic.

Career Summary

2016–present: UK-based consultant for commissioners in the UK and in low- and middle-income countries. Clients have included USAID (2016–2025), with a recent return of focus to UK public health.

2013-2014: International consultancies began with the World Health Organisation, followed by PEPFAR.

2011–2016 (Cambodia): NGO Chief Executive Officer, managing teams of up to 120 staff before that, National Programme Director, managing £25m contracts.

2005-2011: Five-year secondment to the Department of Health as Deputy Head of Sexual Health and HIV for England and then Deputy Head of two National Support Teams. 

1997-2005: Eight years in NHS roles at local and regional level.

Thematic Areas

• Global health protection and pandemic preparedness
• Health systems strengthening
• HIV planning and programme development
• Sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health
• Services for survivors of gender-based violence
• Short-term technical assistance and capacity building

Selected Work

• Cumbria Multi-Agency Pandemic Preparedness Plan, 2025 Commissioned to develop a comprehensive multi-agency pandemic preparedness plan for Cumbria, incorporating lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent Exercise Pegasus.
• "[The Schools section] reflects much of my experience and the feedback I gave to help support the creation of this document. I feel listened to and responded to." — Feedback on the Multi-Agency Pandemic Plan for Cumbria
• Haiti, anthrax outbreak response, 2024 Led the international, multi-agency response to an outbreak that caused two deaths and 37 suspected cases. The response contained the epidemic, with zero new cases reported for five consecutive weeks.
• Kyrgyz Republic and Haiti, pandemic preparedness, 2023 Led multi-agency analysis of WHO's Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of pandemic preparedness in Kyrgyzstan, under the International Health Regulations. Applied this analysis to support USAID/Haiti's pandemic preparedness planning.
• Jordan, COVID-19 analysis, USAID Led USAID's COVID-19 analysis in Jordan and, on occasion, advised the Minister of Health directly. Forecasting correctly identified when case waves had peaked, typically two weeks ahead of the resulting peak in hospital admissions — giving the Ministry of Health lead time for inpatient capacity planning.
• Afghanistan, maternal and child health programme Designed a £160m maternal and child health programme with sufficient flexibility built in that large parts of it continued operating after the 2021 Taliban takeover.
• England, multi-agency commissioning, 2006–2011 Led over 60 multi-agency assessments and support plans with local authorities on issues including teenage pregnancy, and with police forces, the NHS and the voluntary sector on the development of new Sexual Assault Referral Centres across England.
• Department of Health, sexual health policy Commissioned, developed and edited "10 High Impact Changes for Genitourinary Medicine 48-hour Access," which contributed to England achieving a maximum 48-hour waiting time for GUM services.

Professional Recognition

• Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (FRSPH). 
• Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI). 
• Active member of the Faculty of Public Health's Special Interest Groups on Sexual Health, and on Pandemic Preparedness.
• 2013  - Awarded the Royal Order of Sahametrei by the Government of Cambodia, for services to HIV prevention, care and treatment.