Health written question – answered at on 28 April 2014.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role he envisages for Health and Wellbeing boards in supporting people into employment; and if he will make a statement.
There is clear evidence that being in good employment is protective of health. Conversely, unemployment, particularly long-term unemployment, has significant impact on physical and mental health and is a driver of health inequalities. Jobs also need to be secure and of good quality, offer the flexibility to balance work and family life, and protection from adverse working conditions that can damage health.
The Department has not set out a vision for the role of health and wellbeing boards (HWBs) in respect of any particular health issue over another, as this would risk undermining one of the core roles of HWBs-that they should set their vision and strategy in a way that best reflects local needs.
However, through their wide-ranging membership, and ongoing engagement with the local community and key local stakeholders, boards can provide valuable opportunities to co-ordinate action across a range of wider factors that impact on the community's health and health inequalities-such as employment.
A key route for doing so is through the development of Joint Strategic Needs Assessments, which in turn will inform local Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies. HWBs are responsible for overseeing these locally-led processes to identify the current and future health and wellbeing needs of the local population. This may include an analysis of local employment issues and other wider determinants of health.
HWBs also play a key role in driving improvement against the key measures of the Public Health Outcomes Framework. The framework includes measures on 16 to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training; employment for those with long-term health conditions; and sickness absence rate.
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