Ingeus joined senior leaders from government, research, healthcare, local government and employment services this week for a roundtable discussion exploring the role workforce health can play in supporting economic growth across the UK.
Hosted by the Work Foundation at Lancaster University in partnership with Ingeus during the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, the roundtable, "Keep Britain Working: How can healthier work drive local growth?", brought together leaders from across sectors to examine how health, employment and economic development can work together to support people into, and within, work.
Lindsay Mann, Ingeus' Director of Strategy, joined contributors including Sir Charlie Mayfield, co-chair of the Keep Britain Working programme; Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, Department for Work and Pensions; Kim Leadbeater MP; Brian Dow, Chief Executive of Mental Health UK; James Taylor, Executive Director Strategy, Impact & Social Change at Scope; and Professor Iain Buchan, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Innovation at the University of Liverpool, alongside representatives from local government, healthcare and the third sector.
The discussion focused on a growing national challenge. Nearly 2.8 million working-age people are economically inactive due to long-term ill health, creating significant challenges for individuals, employers and local economies. Conversations explored how improving workforce health can support higher employment, stronger local economies and more inclusive growth.
Discussion centred around several key themes, including:
- How mayors and local leaders can place workforce health at the heart of local growth plans.
- The role employment support services can play in helping people with long-term or fluctuating health conditions find and sustain suitable work.
- How employers can help prevent ill health and support people to remain in or return to work.
- Opportunities for closer collaboration between health systems, employment services, businesses and local leaders.
- The support, funding and powers local areas need to respond effectively to workforce health challenges.
As one of the UK's leading providers of employment, skills, justice and health-related support services, Ingeus brought extensive experience of supporting people with health conditions and other barriers to employment.
The roundtable provided an opportunity to share insights from frontline delivery and explore how national ambitions can be translated into effective local action. There was a strong focus throughout the discussion on the importance of partnership working and the need for coordinated approaches that bring together employers, health services, local authorities and employment support providers.
Ingeus was proud to contribute to the conversation and looks forward to supporting future discussions that help shape workforce health, employment policy and inclusive economic growth across the UK.
