PEOPLE from working class communities in Southend, Basildon and Thurrock will be among those supported onto the NHS career ladder, as the Government’s Plan for Change tackles rampant health inequalities and gets Britain working.
The government has confirmed a new pilot to support an initial 1,000 people nationally from groups or areas worst hit by unemployment into careers in the health service.
Backed by £5 million nationally, the new pilot programme will locally build on the success of initiatives in mid and south Essex, including the award-winning Anchor Ambition and the Health and Care Academy, to develop important skills to support a move into the health and care sector, alongside support with job applications and preparing for interviews.
Participants may also have the opportunity to undertake a work placement in a local health and care employer. Individuals could then move into roles like nursing support and pharmacy support roles, customer services, administration, estates facilities and maintenance roles, kickstarting exciting, long-term careers within health and care – boosting the local workforce and supporting patients.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:
“For too long, working class people have been boxed out of working in the NHS. As the largest employer in lots of towns around the country, the NHS should be acting as an engine of growth and employment within the very communities it serves.
“The 10 Year Health Plan is committed to tackling health inequalities – and we are hitting the ground running, making sure people in Southend, Basildon and Thurrock no matter their background, have a way out of the inactivity trap.
“Through our Plan for Change, we are delivering an NHS fit for the future and offering a ladder out of poverty and into work.”
Tom Abell, Chief Executive of Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System, said:
“The NHS belongs to the communities it serves, and it should be a place where people from all backgrounds can build rewarding careers. This investment in Southend, Basildon, and Thurrock is an important step in removing barriers to employment and addressing the health inequalities that hold too many people back.
“By supporting local residents to join our health and care workforce, we are not only strengthening the NHS for the future but also creating opportunities that can change lives and help our communities thrive.”
This comes as the 10 Year Health Plan, launched earlier in the month, outlined how billions of pounds will be allocated to areas that need the NHS most and transform the health service into a force for social mobility and local prosperity.
Boosting the health of local communities through the 10 Year Health Plan is as much about this Government’s growth mission as it is its health mission, and the move will help bring economic growth to areas across the nation which are most in need.
