The West Yorkshire Health and Growth Accelerator Programme in Wakefield District is centred on improving population health outcomes, increasing economic participation, and addressing inequalities.
Our approach is shaped by the specific needs of our local communities and informed by detailed Population Health Management (PHM) analysis. As part of this programme, Wakefield aims to support an additional 163 people to become economically active through health-oriented interventions.
Our population
Wakefield faces significant health-related barriers to employment, including high levels of mental health needs, musculoskeletal conditions, and wider social determinants of ill health. Our population experiences some of the highest rates of economic inactivity due to sickness across West Yorkshire. Therefore, an integrated, place-based approach focusing on prevention, early intervention, and targeted employment support is essential.
Our strategic priorities
Shift from sickness to prevention: Early identification and intervention for individuals at risk of long-term illness to prevent economic inactivity.
Enhance workforce resilience: Specific support for the health and care workforce to aid retention and reduce sickness absence through tailored return-to-work schemes.
Enable recovery through employment support: Support individuals on or at risk of long-term sick leave with personalised, accessible pathways back into meaningful employment.
Pillar 1: Social Care and NHS Workforce Interventions
- Coordinated support for returning employees through learning pathways, mentoring, psychological support, and specialist services (e.g. musculoskeletal services).
- Focus on strengthening organisational resilience by supporting both staff and managers.
Pillar 2: Prevention and Early Intervention
- Expansion of preventative services including mental health interventions, workplace health checks, and wellness champion initiatives.
- Outreach to communities to promote early detection and management of health issues impacting work.
Pillar 3: Employment Support
- Integrated employment support pathways working with employers and employees to enable faster, sustainable returns to work.
- Use of digital therapeutic solutions for mental health and chronic pain management.
Population Health Management (PHM) approach
All interventions have been designed using a PHM methodology to target those most at risk, ensuring resources are directed where they will have the greatest impact. This includes analysis of local health data, workforce statistics, and community needs assessments, weighted against the Annual Population Survey.
ONS data shows that the leading causes of economic inactivity due to ill health are:
- Cardio-metabolic​ diseases
- Mental health conditions
- MSK
- Progressive illness/other illness
- Sight/hearing impairment
Using data in the Wakefield Data Model to understand the proportion of economically inactive people with each of these conditions, funding has been allocated to projects targeting groups within each category.