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Working together: Accountability for work as a health outcome as the NHS reforms

2020health Project Brief May 2011

Background

There is comprehensive evidence to show that getting patients back to productive and sustainable work improves health outcomes. The White Paper, Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS (Jul 2010), announced the transfer of health improvement functions from PCTs to Local Authorities (LAs), the creation of GP Commissioning Consortia (GPCC) and the advent of ‘Health and Wellbeing Boards' (HWBs) by April 2012. The Health and Social Care Bill 2011, currently being debated in parliament, takes forward these ideas.

Aim of the project

To identify the incentives, tools and checks for HWBs to work productively with GPCC on keeping a specific focus on key determinants of health including 'work' and identifying ‘success' indicators for progress monitoring.

Research and Interviews

Interviews have been undertaken with senior thought-leaders, including GPs, Public Health, local government, civil servants, occupational health professionals, academics, charities, regional health and wellbeing coordinators, amongst others, to determine:
1. Who is and will be responsible for a patient's return to work?
2. What will be the roles of the different bodies in the new landscape?
3. How will people and organisations be held to account?
4. What has already been put into action, and what is the evidence base?
5. What is the key to the successful implementation of the government's plans?

Workshops

These are being set up in local areas, and provide a chance both to disseminate our interview findings and test the ideas and opinions gathered from our research. The discussion will involve the relevant people from the nascent Consortia, the nascent Health and Wellbeing board, Public Health together with other interested parties. We will first share our findings from our research into this topic and then facilitate a dialogue around the opinions and recommendations raised. These meetings will be of genuine assistance to those seeking to collaborate further on health and wellbeing and will inform local planning. The contribution of groups involved in these discussions will be recognised in our final report, due for publication in September 2011.
If you would like us to present our research in your area, please let us know as soon as possible.

Please direct all correspondence regarding this project to Research Administrator Anu Mallidi at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . This project is an independent study supported by an unrestricted grant from the health care company Abbott.