The Director of Public Health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has called on businesses to invest in staff wellbeing and occupational health services.
Rachel Wigglesworth highlighted the clear link between a healthy workforce and a healthy economy in the 2023/24 Director of Public Health Annual Report presented to Cornwall Council’s cabinet today (July 24, 2024).
Latest statistics show more than 75,000 people of working age are ‘economically inactive’, due to factors that include long-term sickness and mental health issues.
The report recommends the creation of a Good Work Charter and more support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), while urging larger employers to play a greater role in supporting people with health problems in work, staff wellbeing and fairer pay.
These suggestions will be shared with partners and anchor organisations across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
This report has informed Cornwall’s new Good Growth Strategy, also considered at the cabinet meeting. It is hoped it will influence future strategic planning that would help deliver fairer and more inclusive economic growth and support good health and wellbeing.
Underpinning the recommendations, the report states, is clear evidence that:
• Having a safe and secure job with good working hours, conditions and supportive management and opportunities for training and development improves health and wellbeing across people’s lives and protects against social exclusion.
• Unemployment is bad for health and wellbeing and is associated with shorter life expectancy and greater ill health.
• Jobs should: be stable and offer a decent living wage; enable people to afford secure housing; represent opportunities for learning; offer sufficient flexibility to enable people to balance work and family life; offer protection from adverse working conditions that can damage health.
The report identifies two key factors that must be addressed:
1. Around 77,500 people of working age in Cornwall are ‘economically inactive’ with nearly a third on long term sick, largely due to mental ill health and musculoskeletal conditions.
2. Employment rates for people with life-limiting conditions and for people with disabilities are significantly below the national rates.
Rachel said:
“This report outlines the health benefits of ‘good work’, which can lead to a more productive workforce and reduce pressure on our health and care services.
“Whilst there is significant effort and investment across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to drive economic growth, we currently have a workforce that is on balance sicker, on lower incomes, and less likely to be in paid employment than England average.
“This report examines the relationship between work and health, what is driving our lower employment rates, and importantly what inclusive growth policies can support our health, and how we can better support people to access good work.
“Overall, I hope it provides insight and recommendations which support and challenge our efforts to create a healthier, fairer and more productive Cornwall and Isles of Scilly.”
The report includes the regular annual vital statistics for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, presenting key demographic and health data for our residents.
You can read it here: Director of Public Health Annual Report
Press release issued on July 24, 2024