Insight 43 - Magazine - Page 11
White Paper also called for local responses
and solutions to improve outcomes at a
local level.
This is where the Get Hertfordshire
Working panel came in to increase
understanding about the root causes of
economic inactivity in order to start to
develop an integrated approach to work,
health and skills support.
Sarah Perman, Director, Public Health,
Hertfordshire County Council, said the
pandemic had in many ways ‘thrown a
lot of things in the air’ and challenged
our ways of working and that we needed
to take a more ambitious approach to
problem-solving. She also acknowledged
that there was a lot more to be done
to understand the fears, concerns and
aspirations of those under the broad
economically inactive umbrella.
Michael Wood, Head of Health Economic
Partnerships, NHS Confederation, said
that the NHS was both part of the problem
and the solution with people on waiting
lists not able to work and the challenges of
operational delivery getting in the way of
taking a more holistic approach to health.
But he stressed the potential of the NHS as
a good employer making a difference.
All panellists acknowledged that tackling
"With just 60 minutes on
the clock and ticking, this
debate clearly ignited an
important conversation"
Lucy Gravatt
Director of Communications
and Partnerships
worklessness called for a more joined-up,
multi-agency approach which intertwined
a lot of other health, work and skills
strategies.
The White Paper also set out significant
reforms to Jobcentre Plus with a renewed
focus on local engagement and enhanced
relationships with employers to better
meet their recruitment needs and
reduce reliance on foreign workers. Tilini
Sharland, Service Leader for Beds and
Herts District, Department for Work and
Pensions, welcomed this move to develop
a more local and collective response to
this live issue and said it was also a time
to get ‘excited’ about greater partnership
working.
Claire Dicks, UK Lead Entity & Head of
Local Community Engagement, MBDA,
set out some of the work they as a large
local employer are doing to support those
facing barriers to employment into work
and the importance of ‘value propositions’
in attracting and retaining staff. Claire also
stressed the importance of speaking with
‘one voice’ to Government to tackle this
issue.
Cllr Richard Roberts, Leader, Hertfordshire
County Council, stressed the key role that
businesses play in growing the economy
and that with so many globally significant
sectors locally and a high performing
economy, Hertfordshire was well placed
to deliver. He also applauded the work
that local FE colleges are doing to widen
access to high value jobs by providing
specialist training. Richard stressed the
wider barriers to growth locally such as
providing the good quality education,
jobs, homes and infrastructure needed to
keep the economy moving.
With just 60 minutes on the clock, this
debate clearly ignited an important
conversation. The remaining two webinars
will focus on how we can grow the
economy more sustainably and ensure it
is future-proofed for a more digital age.
The full series will be available to view
on demand and will also be a key part of
the evidence base in developing a new
Economic Strategy.
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