Bristol Health Partners and Bristol City Council brought together more than 90 policy makers, service providers, decision takers and people with long term conditions and disabilities, for a work and health think tank event on Monday 30 January.
Research shows that work and income are major determinants of health, wellbeing, quality of life and life expectancy. However, the relationship between work and health is complex.
The event aimed to start a conversation about what we can do to improve the opportunities and health outcomes for everyone who lives and works in the West of England.
We already know that:
No single organisation can resolve these issues alone. We need to work collaboratively using our different strengths and assets. The joint Department of Work and Pensions and Department of Health Work, Health and Disability Green Paper is a welcome contribution to the debate.
The event included contributions from:
Delegates heard presentations from these speakers, and then broke into ten groups to discuss the following themes:
Delegates were invited to use #workandhealth during the event, the hashtag being used nationally to discuss DWP’s Green Paper. Highlights from our event included:
Presentation done, now listening to some other very interesting ones at #workandhealth in Bristol City Council.
— I Can Make It (@ICanMakit) 30 January 2017
#Sheffield case study from @SheffCouncil's Chris Shaw shows challenges ahead for the west in #workandhealth partnership working pic.twitter.com/gjqMzI4K9X
— Bristol Health (@BristolHealthP) 30 January 2017
@ICanMakit @WECILBristol could #listeningpartnership members become #ICanMakeIt #champions? #workandhealth pic.twitter.com/i2kCDDDTaQ
— Young Healthwatch (@YHWbristol) 30 January 2017
At Bristol #workandhealth conference, a lot to do but we must strive to create equality for disable people in the workplace
— Victoria Morris (@dollytwh) 30 January 2017
Becky Pollard, Director of Public Health, Bristol City Council said:
“Employment and income are two of the most important determinants of health and wellbeing. Mental health and musculoskeletal conditions are major causes of unemployment and sickness across our region. To tackle these issues we need a collective approach and this think tank provides a fantastic opportunity to start that discussion.”
Councillor Ian Scott, South Gloucestershire Council, said:
“It is important for health inequalities to be addressed if all our residents are to benefit from economic growth in the West of England and there should be no barriers to work. I hope the partnership work will help deliver this.”
Steve Nelson, Chief Executive of sport charity Wesport, said:
“I hope this event is the start of sharing knowledge, developing new collaborations to support people into work, and keep people in work in their roles. Wesport believes encouraging active workplaces is one of the simplest ways to improve productivity and reduce absenteeism. I really appreciated the opportunity to learn more about local work and health challenges at this event.”
Each discussion group was asked to draw out three priority points for further development. Watch the videos below, read the notes and get in touch by emailing jan.connett@bristol.ac.uk so that we can decide together which of these points to progress and how to do so.