Boosting the UK’s employment rate, one step at a time

The announcement of this fund (on 11 July) was sandwiched between the launch of the NHS ten-year plan earlier in the month and the revival of the Pensions Commission 10 days afterwards. These are ambitious plans, but even with a fair wind, the Government’s vision of a healthier working age population with a financially secure retirement will need many years to bear fruit.

The Primary Care Innovation Fund, by contrast, is designed to make an immediate difference on a relatively modest scale. Its launch coincided with the allocation of £100 million for the next phase in the roll out of the Connect to Work programme, which aims to provide a boost to back to work programmes across the country.

The new fund will enable WorkWell services in the pilot areas to provide targeted interventions to help people back to work. These could include hiring work and health coaches and occupational therapists to whom GPs can refer patients, or training physiotherapists to issue fit notes.

With the news dominated by bigger ticket announcements, the launch of this relatively modest but innovatory initiative is a reminder that tackling the UK’s stubbornly low labour market participation rate – not to mention the other deep-seated problems facing the UK economy – needs to start at the local, granular level.

For more information about WorkWell Cambridge, you can visit its website - https://haycambridge.co.uk/support/workwell-cambridge-city/

There are also Workwell services covering Peterborough and a number of other locations across England.