Work and Worklessness

We have just published the updated Work and Worklessness section of the KJSA!

This section looks at trends in employment and worklessness in Kirklees, and the wide range of health and wellbeing factors which relate to work and worklessness.

Work is a primary determinant of health and wellbeing.  Good work is an important contributor to health and wellbeing across people’s lives. Employment has benefits for individuals, families and society as a whole and healthy, skilled, productive people make a healthy economy.

Poor health can be both a cause and consequence of worklessness. There is clear evidence that worklessness and unemployment are bad for your health; there are both short and long-term effects on physical and mental health, and an increased risk of mortality and morbidity – including limiting illness, cardiovascular disease, poor mental health, suicide, and health-damaging behaviours.

The definition of worklessness is wider than just unemployment.  It includes people who are workless due to caring responsibilities and health conditions, as well as those who are claiming certain benefits.

In Kirklees, there are 23,200 workless households, which is around 17% of all households.  This is slightly higher than the national and regional averages. The prevalence of worklessness varies greatly across Kirklees – from just 3% of the population in Holme Valley South ward to 20% of the population in Dewsbury West. The Kirklees unemployment rate of 4.7% is also slightly higher than the national average, but has been steadily decreasing in recent years and nearly halved since 2011.

Helping people with health issues to obtain or retain work, and be happy and productive in the workplace, is a key driver of economic success and overall population health, so it is crucial that we continue to ensure that Kirklees is a district which combines great quality of life and a strong and sustainable economy.

There are a wide-range of assets and support in Kirklees to help people gain and sustain good employment, or alternatives such as volunteering where this might be more appropriate, delivered by the council and in partnership with the third sector. It is also important that we encourage businesses to take a proactive approach in improving and protecting their staff’s health and wellbeing.

 

Victoria Harper – Economic Resilience Project Manager

The Experience of Disabled Adults in Kirklees

Welcome have just published the newly updated and integrated disabled adults section of the KJSA!

In the past we have had separate multiple sections for each type of disability, so there was a section covering those living with a physical disability, a separate section for those living with a sensory impairment, those living with a learning disability and so on.

We noticed there were a set common themes that affected those living with disabilities such as feeling safe in their local area, issues around housing, the experience of poverty and feelings of loneliness. It made sense to describe these issues collectively, because there are a number of things society and services can do to allow greater inclusion for all those affected by disability.

In the section we outline a range of inequalities that affect those living with a disability, such as those outlined in the infographic above.

We of course recognise that there are specific issues that affect certain groups in different ways, such as educational attainment, inclusion in society and access to end of life care amongst those with a learning disability. So where one group is affected differently we have provided you with this detail, you’ll find this in the “Specific factors affecting” boxes within the section. You will find a much more detailed picture for each disability group covered by this section, this includes connections to national research where you can find more detail.

Looking at disabled adults in one section has also shown the gaps in knowledge and research both locally and nationally. We have pulled together a detailed set of commissioner considerations to try to fill some of these gaps.

As we develop the Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities section we will look to better describe the issues affecting younger adults living with a disability, and their transition from childhood to adulthood, so keep an eye out for that!

 

Chris Porter – Health Development Officer

An overview of the KJSA

At the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on 22 November 2018, the 2018/19 Kirklees overview KJSA section was approved for publication. The overview uses the latest available data to provide an updated summary of the key messages found elsewhere in the KJSA, and represents a great starting point for people’s journeys into the more detailed sections. For those limited on time, the overview will quickly get you up to speed on current issues and opportunities relating to the health and wellbeing of the Kirklees population. 

This year’s overview adopts the asset-based approach found throughout the KJSA. It showcases new sources of intelligence and major pieces of work completed over the last 12 months, such as the Director of Public Health’s 2017/18 Annual Report on healthy ageing and the Mental Health and Wellbeing Needs Assessment. As ever, the overview has a strong emphasis on health inequalities. Where appropriate, the overview highlights where Kirklees stands out from our regional neighbours or the national average. 

Councillor Musarrat Khan, portfolio holder for health and social care at Kirklees Council, said this about the Kirklees overview:
“This year’s overview helps people to understand the importance of health inequalities and the wider social determinants of health, as well as highlighting the local assets and activities we have in Kirklees that are contributing to reducing inequalities and improved health outcomes.”

 

Air Quality in Kirklees

Did you know that poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK? And that in Kirklees, 1 in 20 deaths are attributable to air pollution?

The new Air Quality section  of the KJSA has just been published, which looks at the impact of air pollution across Kirklees.

Clean air is one of the most basic requirements of a healthy environment. Exposure to high levels of air pollution has both short and long-term effects on health, and certain vulnerable groups are more at risk of these health impacts.

However, there are many initiatives to reduce the risks and impacts of air pollution – from utilising zero and low emissions technology, to people walking and cycling more instead of driving.

As individuals, there’s actually lots we can do to reduce and avoid air pollution:

• Walking
  Walking short journeys instead of using the car is a good way to reduce car emissions and improve health. There are a range of walking opportunities available in Kirklees. Click here for more information.
• Cycling
  There are a range of cycling opportunities available in Kirklees. For more information click here.
• Public transport
  Using public transport instead of the car is one way to improve air quality. You can find your best journey options here.
• Consider an electric vehicle or a hybrid
  Road traffic is the single biggest cause of air pollution, with diesel vehicles accounting for most of this. If possible, driving an efficient low polluting vehicle e.g. electric/hybrid can help improve air quality.
• Switch your engine off when stationary
  If you’re not moving and it’s safe to do so, turning your engine off helps make the air cleaner for you, other drivers and pedestrians.
• Service your car and keep the tyres properly inflated
  Your car will be more efficient and cleaner, saving you money, using less fuel, and producing less pollution.
• Boilers
  Ensure that boilers are serviced regularly and kept in good working order. If a boiler needs replacing then purchase one that has a low NOx emission rating. Make your house more energy efficient so that you need to use your boiler less to heat your home. Find out more information here. 
• Limit your use of wood-burning stoves
  Wood burning stoves are not good for the environment or your or your children’s health, so please think twice before buying one. If you do have one, make sure you use only dry wood and it is a DEFRA exempted eco design stove, use authorised fuel, and only light it if you really, really have to!

 

Wendy Blakeley – Head of Public Protection

What’s it like to grow older in Kirklees?

We’ve just published the Director of Public Health’s 2017-18 Annual Report on Ageing Well in Kirklees. It uses local data to paint a picture of ageing in Kirklees, focusing on those over 50. It looks at how people are feeling, the issues they face and some of ways they are being supported locally by a whole range of people, communities and activities. It covers a range of themes from mental health to mobility, volunteering to isolation and highlights the importance of a life-course approach. You can find the report here.

Rachel Spencer-Henshall
Strategic Director – Corporate Strategy and Public Health

Planning and Preparing for Emergencies

Do you know how the council and its partners plan for and respond to emergencies in Kirklees?

Our newly updated section outlines how the work of the Kirklees Emergency Planning Team and others enables us to be prepared for, respond to and recover from emergencies and business disruptions across the district. The team assesses and mitigates risks; writes and tests emergency plans and business continuity plans; delivers training; undertakes work to improve community resilience; and provides a 24/7 emergency standby service.

The team work closely with other local emergency responders under the West Yorkshire Resilience Forum. Key partners include the Police, Fire Service, Ambulance Service, other Local Authorities, Utility Companies and Voluntary Organisations.

To find out more take a look at the section here.

 

Martin Jordan
Senior Emergency Planning Officer and Business Continuity Lead

Insight from our young people informs the KJSA

The Kirklees Young People’s Survey (KYPS) is an important source of local intelligence and insight. It is used in many sections of the KJSA and helps to shape the way we commission and deliver services for local children, young people and families across Kirklees.

The last survey of pupils in Year 9 (carried out in 2014) covered topics such as health and wellbeing, health-related behaviours and perceptions of the local area. We are currently in the planning phase of the latest survey, which will be carried out towards the end of the summer term 2018. The survey will be completed online during lesson time and all responses will be captured anonymously.

We’re currently asking all Kirklees schools with a Year 9 cohort to sign up to take part in the survey, by emailing owen.richardson@kirklees.gov.uk

For more information, visit: www.kirklees.gov.uk/KYPS2018

Supporting clinical commissioning in Kirklees

Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are clinically led statutory NHS bodies responsible for planning and commissioning local health care services. Two CCGs fit neatly within the Kirklees Local Authority boundary: North Kirklees CCG and Greater Huddersfield CCG. The new CCG summary of the KJSA helps to inform the decisions made by the CCGs by summarising a range of health-related indicators for people living in these two geographical areas. Other people will find this summary useful as the CCG boundaries neatly divide our area into North and South Kirklees.

 Natalie Ackroyd, Senior Strategic Planning, Performance and Service Transformation Manager at Greater Huddersfield CCG, said this about the KJSA:
“The Kirklees Joint Strategic Assessment provides information that ensures the needs of our local population and communities is understood and communicated. Looking at the wider determinants of health ensures Local Authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups commission responsive, effective and co-ordinated services that empower Kirklees residents towards better health.”

 

Learning and Skills

‘The updated Learning & Skills section in the KJSA describes the critical importance of learning, educational attainment, work and skills and the influence on health outcomes. The section highlights the key factors and related issues where commissioners and planners need to provide future focus to reduce the inequalities which exist.  It also provides useful insights and intelligence relating to learning and skills across the life course including early years, school years, post-16, workplace and lifelong learning and how learning, attainment and work outcomes become key determinants of mental and physical well-being.’

‘Learning has positive benefits that go way beyond improving the skills and employability of individuals. Learning improves well-being, strengthens family relationships, reduces loneliness and increases participation in communities.’

Blog post by guest contributor Graham Crossley (Commissioning and Contracts Manager, Commissioning, Public Health and Adult Social Care) and Bridget Hughes (Development Manager, Third Sector Leaders).

It’s National Self-Care Week!

13th to 19th November 2017 is ‘National self-care week’ which focuses on self-care across communities, families and generations. It’s all about what we do to protect and improve our health and wellbeing. This can range from generally looking after yourself on a day to day basis or finding out what can help if you’re living with a long-term health condition.

Did you know that ‘support for self-care’ is one of the ‘Top 10 Inspiring Kirklees Assets’ highlighted in the new ‘Community Assets: People Helping People’ section in the KJSA? This section signposts to more self-care resources in Kirklees as well as other local assets that contribute to improved wellbeing and independence.

In Kirklees, self-care is about looking at what you can do and want to do, rather than what you can’t do, even if you have health challenges. This is a great example of an asset-based approach and you can find out much more about what we mean by community assets and asset-based (or strength-based) approaches in Kirklees in the new section.

Blog post by guest contributor Sharron McMahon, Public Health