Dr Julia Verne is Director of the South West Public Health Observatory incorporating the South West Cancer Intelligence Service, the South West Public Health Team and the National Drugs Treatment Monitoring System. The Observatory is responsible for monitoring patterns of diseases, their potential causes in the population and levels and variations in Health Service provision.

Dr Verne is also a member of the Regional Public Health Group working for the Department of Health out of the Government Office for the South West.

Dr Verne sits on a number of National Advisory Committees and groups including: The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE), the National Cancer Registry Advisory Group (NCRAG, Commissioning of TB Services and the National Committee for Chlamydia Screening).

From 1991 – 2002 she was Regional Cancer Lead of the NHS Executive South West, responsible for policy development with the DoH and regional implementation of the NHS Plan and Quality Assurance. From 1997 – 1999 she was Cervical Screening QA Director for North Thames and between 2001 and 2004 she was Acting QA Director for Breast Screening in the South West.

Dr Verne recently acted as Locum Director of Public Health for Bristol (April to October 2006). She is also Coordinator of the voluntary organisation Polski Bristol.