{"id":4284,"date":"2023-03-24T13:08:07","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T13:08:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/integratedcarejournal.com\/?p=4284"},"modified":"2023-04-20T10:25:04","modified_gmt":"2023-04-20T10:25:04","slug":"prioritising-local-business-progression-within-ics-population-health-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/integratedcarejournal.com\/prioritising-local-business-progression-within-ics-population-health-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"Prioritising local \u2018business progression\u2019 within ICS population health strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"
Integrated care systems should prioritise the development of local \u2018business progression frameworks\u2019 within population health strategy. This is according to a new recommendation from Public Policy Projects (PPP).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Business progression frameworks, developed by ICS leaders and local authorities, can provide local businesses with <\/span>clear guidance regarding how their employee health and wellbeing strategies can impact local health, thereby driving accountability.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Employment can greatly impact an individual\u2019s health, though this impact varies depending on the nature of the work and workplace environment. Variations in these health implications are significant contributors to health inequalities in the UK and can have a major effect on the impact of ICS population health strategy.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Health inequalities have been found to exist within individual businesses, with poorer health outcomes typically experienced by those at lower occupational grades<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The insights were uncovered during a roundtable of PPP\u2019s <\/span>Population Health in Business<\/span><\/i> series, which convenes key experts, including ICS leaders, to examine the impact that businesses, and employment more broadly, have on health outcomes. The series makes practical recommendations for ICS and business leaders to collaborate to inform population health strategies and improve health outcomes at a community level.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The series is chaired by Professor Donna Hall CBE, Integration and Transformation Advisor to NHS England. Commenting on the insights gathered so far, Professor Hall said: These sessions explore the practical ways in which businesses can support health and wellness in their local communities. We have had engagement from a wide range of businesses, public health experts and academics which has been a rich and diverse discussion. The report provides helpful support and advice to local health and care system leaders, businesses and communities on making the most of private employers as a key part of the local infrastructure to support breed health and wellness for all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n PPP has found that good employee health and wellbeing strategies and a positive workplace culture are associated with increased productivity and better staff retention \u2013 meaning that the quality of a business\u2019s approach to employee health directly impacts their strength as an organisation. A positive workplace culture is one that fosters clear and open communication and strong co-working bonds. PPP also believes that businesses can influence the health and wellbeing of their employees through better pay, flexibility in location and working hours, and increased control over tasks and responsibilities.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Health inequalities have been found to exist within individual businesses, with poorer health outcomes typically experienced by those at lower occupational grades.\u202fBusinesses that incorporate health into every level of their corporate decision-making, and seek to prioritise those in greatest need, are more easily able to impact health equity than businesses that do not.\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Leeds City Council\u2019s \u2018Business Anchor Progression Framework\u2019 provides an example of what such a framework could look like. Broken down into four sections (employment; procurement; environment and assets; and corporate and community) the framework is \u201cdesigned for businesses with a large or influential local presence who want to play a full anchor role locally and is a wide-ranging tool that considers the breadth of a company\u2019s activities.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Anchor institutions can be defined as large organisations whose sustainability is connected to the populations they serve and who seek to utilise their assets and resources to support improvements in health equity and the overall quality of life within their local area.\u202fThe framework used in Leeds poses questions to businesses such as \u201cto what extent do you encourage the mental and physical health and wellbeing of staff through facilities, policy, culture and support?\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nRead the full insight piece from roundtable one here.<\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n
\nHow a progression framework is improving health outcomes in Leeds<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n