Workforce

Two nurses discussing a patient's medication The NHS is the biggest employer in the UK, and one of the biggest in the world. In many parts of the country it is the largest local employer.

The employment standards it follows already go some way to ensuring that NHS organisations can act as Good Corporate Citizens.

The NHS Constitution contains four pledges to staff, including commitments to clear roles and responsibilities, personal development, health safety and wellbeing and engagement. And A High Quality Workforce describes how support can be given for continuing professional development and life-long learning.

Employment is a key determinant of health and social cohesion. Employers can make a big difference to the wellbeing of the communities they serve through their approach to recruitment, learning and skills development, management, career progression, working conditions and equal opportunities. They can also promote sustainable development through the learning opportunities they provide, and the examples they set.

A workforce strategy that supports sustainable development means:

Understanding and responding to local employment conditions and needs
Proactively building a skilled local workforce
Building partnerships with education, training and skills providers, and voluntary organisations that help specific groups of people find employment
Promoting the health and wellbeing of employees through enlightened HR policies
Providing opportunities for employees to practice sustainable development.

Benefits

Meeting your organisation’s workforce requirements – by developing the skills you will need in the future in the local population

Improving the health of the local community and reducing health inequalities – by providing work opportunities for local people at all levels of the organisation

Helping to move from treatment to prevention – by increasing employment levels, one of the key determinants of health

Reducing financial and environmental costs – by developing a local workforce and minimising travel

Increased job satisfaction, career progression and empowerment of workforce

Facts

The NHS employs 1.4 million people
Over one third of UK adults do not have a basic school-leaving qualification, and approximately one in twelve have no qualifications at all
Unemployment is not distributed evenly throughout England. It is highest in the North East (8.4%) and lowest in the South West (4.7%)
Mental health illness adds £12 billion annually to the cost of health and social care, and £64 billion to the wider economy.