Purpose

Proposed
decision:
 
To approve the Integrated Work
and Health Strategy for Kent and Medway on behalf of KCC, subject
to approval from other partner organisations (Medway Council and
Integrated Care Board).
 
Reason for the
decision
Approval to develop the strategy has come from
the Integrated Care System Leaders (from KCC, Medway Council and
the Integrated Care Board (ICB)) and Kent and Medway Economic
Partnership (KMEP) in response to national expectation and strong
local support for the development of an Integrated Work and Health
Strategy for Kent and Medway.
 
Background –
Provide brief additional context
The interconnection between employment and
health outcomes and inequalities is well-established and has
previously been discussed by the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP).
This is recognised in the Integrated Care Strategy which includes a
shared priority to address the economic determinants that enable
healthy lives, including stable employment and the commitment:
“We will help individuals fulfil their potential by achieving
secure employment through education and skills development and by
supporting businesses.” The Kent and Medway Economic
Framework which is owned by the Kent and Medway Economic
Partnership (KMEP) also recognises the connection between economic
prosperity and health and wellbeing. It includes an ambition to
place economic opportunity at the centre of economic renewal and
prosperity, recognising the “strong correlation between
economic inactivity, ill health and multiple forms of
deprivation.”
 
The focus of the Kent & Medway Strategy
will be to integrate work and health support for employers and
individuals by enabling local people with long term conditions and
disabilities to start, stay and succeed in work so that the general
health and productivity of the workforce can be enhanced, skills
shortages can be addressed, and local businesses will be more able
to increase productivity and grow. The strategy will enable key
organisations in Kent & Medway to better understand the
challenges that employers face with regard to long term health
conditions and the issues that prevent people with health
conditions from accessing employment opportunities and sustaining
work. It will also ensure that the various strands of current and
potential activity can be better coordinated to avoid duplication
and ensure positive outcomes for local employers, residents and the
local economy.
 
 
Options (other
options considered but discarded)
Other options were not considered as there is
a national expectation and strong local support for the development
of an Integrated Work and Health Strategy for Kent and Medway.
 
How the proposed
decision supports the
Framing Kent's Future - Our
Council Strategy 2022-2026
The strategy being developed
directly aligns with Framing Kent’s Future Priority 1:
Levelling Up Kent commitments:
·      
To support the Kent economy to be resilient and successfully adapt
to the challenges and opportunities it faces over the coming
years.
·      
To work with partners to develop a skills system for Kent that
delivers skills that are resilient to changing workforce needs and
opportunities and supports people to higher level skills.
·      
To see significant improvements in the economy, connectivity,
educational attainment, skills and employment rates and public
health outcomes in deprived communities in coastal areas so that
they improve faster than the rest of Kent to reduce the gaps.
·      
To work with our partners to hardwire a preventative approach into
improving the health of Kent’s population and narrowing
health inequalities.
 
How the proposed
decision supports Securing Kent’s Future 2022 -2026:

Securing Kents Future - Budget
Recovery Strategy.pdf
The strategy is being developed
using external funding secured for this purpose and it does not in
itself commit KCC to further spend. The strategy aims to make a
positive contribution to key health determinants (employment and
income specifically) without which, individuals are more likely to
require ongoing support from public health and social care
services.
 
Financial
Implications
The development of the strategy is being
funded by the DWP/DHSC grant with support from relevant KCC and
Medway Council officers as well as NHS colleagues. The strategy
itself is not a funded strategy but with government announcements
about the need for local ‘Health, Work & Skills
plans’ and other potential initiatives around supported
employment, it is anticipated that externally funded programmes
will support the implementation phase of the strategy. Further
details will be worked up in due course. If Kent and Medway pursue
a Strategic Authority, this agenda is a clearly stated priority
within the Skills and Employment, and Health, Wellbeing and Public
Sector Reform ‘areas of competence’ of such an
authority, and therefore new powers, opportunities or funding might
reasonably be anticipated.
 
The future implementation of the strategy may
bring about indirect longer term financial benefits for KCC in
addition to reducing public sector spend on the ill -health
prevention agenda. Programmes to help more people into work will
support business growth and productivity which could lead to
increased business rates receipts in Kent as companies grow and
occupy new space. Similarly, additional council tax receipts could
be generated if people are supported into the labour market
reducing reliance on (housing) benefits.
 

Decision

As Cabinet Member for Economic Development and
Coastal Regeneration I agree to:
 
APPROVE and ADOPT the Kent and
Medway Integrated Work and Health Strategy on behalf of Kent County
Council. Other partner organisations (Medway Council, the Kent
& Medway Integrated Care Board) will also be taking the Plan
through their own approval processes.
 
DELEGATE authority to the
Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Director of
Growth and Communities, Cabinet Member for Social Care & Public
Health and Cabinet Member for Economic Development & Coastal
Regeneration, to sign off the final plan, refresh and/or make
revisions to the Plan as appropriate during the lifetime of the
plan.
 
DELEGATE authority to the
Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Director of
Growth & Communities, to take relevant actions, including but
not limited to finalising the terms of, and entering into required
contract or other legal agreements, as necessary to implement the
decision.