Agenda item

7.1

The report, which set out the links between employment and health, was presented by Laura Hayfield (Head of Employment and Skills, Sheffield City Council) and Ruth Granger (Consultant in Public Health, Sheffield City Council).  A presentation was given, which will be published on the Council’s website.

7.2

Greg Fell thanked the presenters for a comprehensive overview and advised that the subject raised a difficult question, i.e. should the NHS prioritise treating the working age population, to prevent people losing their job while they are on a waiting list.  In his view this was a question that nobody was prepared to answer.  He also observed that the slide in the presentation relating to governance showed that the situation was complicated, and that the Council may need to do more to knit the various strands together and the “Working Well Partnership” could consider this further.

7.3

Board Members discussed how to improve links between the various organisations involved in health and employment and it was suggested that there may be a need to commission a piece of work with the aim of building local programmes and getting organisations working together. Laura Hayfield advised that this was the intention, if the Council was successful in an application to the WorkWell fund. It was also noted that Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council was leading a Pathways to Work Commission on barriers to work, which the Board should have regard to.  The topic was also relevant to the Pride of Place Board of employers.

7.4

The Board discussed what help was available for people who did not expect to be able to work. Laura Hayfield referred Board Members to the list in the presentation and advised that some of the organisations were funded through the Shared Prosperity Fund.  It was hoped that a successful bid for WorkWell funding would enable the Council to promote relevant organisations more.  It was acknowledged that a large part of GP’s workload related to patients’ employment.

7.5

A question was raised as to the importance of volunteering and how this could assist people in entering the Labour market.  Ruth Granger advised that the desirability of a “Fulfilling Occupation” in the Health and Wellbeing Strategy recognised that the occupation did not have to be paid, and that volunteering not being included in the presentation was an omission.

7.6

Board members agreed on the importance of taking the questions raised in the report back to their respective organisations for reflection and requested that feedback on the outcome of this exercise be added to the work programme, to be reported back on before the end of the year. The questions were as follows:

1. How can the Health and Wellbeing Board support employers to have positive working practices including providing reasonable adjustments and workplaces which support good work?
2. What can the Health and Wellbeing Board contribute to ‘stitching together’ of services to support people with health conditions to get and keep a job?
3. As organisations linked to health and social care - how can we provide good work and support people to get and keep a job with us? How can major employers work together on this?
4. How can our service provision support people to get or keep a job? Including supporting people on waiting lists by linking with employment support?

7.7

RESOLVED: That the Sheffield Health and Wellbeing Board:

(a)  Notes the importance of employment for health and wellbeing;

(b)  Will take opportunities to advocate for good work as an important determinant of health including:

·       The role of employers providing good work and supportive environments

·       Supporting the work of the Sheffield Skills and Employment Advisory Board to develop the Employment and Skill Strategy

·       Supporting the work of the Local Integration Board stitching together support for people with health conditions to get and keep a job; and

(c)  Acknowledges the importance of providing good work for employees in their organisations.