Multiple long-term conditions

A citizen’s curriculum for Lambeth and Southwark

We're working with the Institute of Learning and Work to explore how adult learning can increase levels of meaningful work and slow people’s progression from one long-term health condition to many.

Key partnership information:

Partner: Institute of Learning and Work

Development grant amount: £45,000

Duration: July 2020 – June 2021

Programme: multiple long-term conditions

What we’re doing together

We have funded the Learning and Work Institute to research how basic skills training could support individuals to overcoming the traditional barriers to accessing education as a route into employment. They will consider how their Citizens Curriculum approach could be tailored to meet the needs and circumstances of people living in Lambeth and Southwark.

The research will focus on people living on low incomes or that don’t already have formal qualifications.

Aims of the partnership

Our aim is to better understand the role of adult learning in supporting people to access and sustain meaningful work, and so slow down their progression to multiple long-term health conditions. The partnership will also help us to answer some strategic questions about our approach to work and health, including:

How can barriers to skills training faced by people living in Lambeth and Southwark be overcome?
How can the uptake of basic skills training be increased?
What are the factors that can make this training good quality for people living in Lambeth and Southwark?

Connection to our strategy

The relationship between employment and health is well established. We know that having a low or no income can contribute to poor health outcomes, and that employment can have a positive impact on health, resilience and wellbeing.

Where employment is meaningful and good quality, it can motivate and enable people with long-term health conditions to self-manage their health, slowing progression from one to many long-term conditions.

We know that there is a strong relationship between employment and an increased risk of developing a long-term health condition. For instance, in Lambeth unemployment is significantly more common in neighbourhoods where there are high rates of people living with diabetes.

This burden is disproportionately carried by Black communities. In neighbourhoods in Lambeth and Southwark where a third or more of the population are from Black communities, unemployment and ill health are more common than in other parts of our boroughs.

Through our programme, we are working to support employers to create environments that promote good health and help people with long-term health conditions find appropriate employment and progress at work.