Health Matters: Navigating Healthcare for a Thriving Workforce
On Friday 22nd March, Bondholders and guests gathered at the Reckitt Science and Innovation Centre in Hull to discuss the future of healthcare in the Humber region.
The Humber has an ambitious vision for healthcare and businesses to play a crucial part in supporting a healthcare system that fosters a happier and healthier place for all.
Bill Walker, Chair of Future Humber, set the tone for the event by highlighting the Humber's status as a living laboratory for pioneering healthcare initiatives. He expressed that the transformative impact of natural collaboration amongst partners has made a positive difference to the lives of many across our region.
The panel, steered by Dr Bruce Charlesworth, Group Chief Medical Officer and Hull Campus Lead at Reckitt, featured speakers from a range of areas within the healthcare sector:
- Anja Hazebroek, Executive Director of Communications, Marketing, and Media Relations at NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board
- Dr. Pedro Beltran-Alvarez, Senior Lecturer in Health and Climate Change and Programme Co-Director of the MSc Health and Climate Change at the University of Hull
- Gary Jones, Co-Founder & CEO of MediMusic
- Sam Barlow BEM, Founder and Chief Officer of Fitmums and Friends
Together, the panel provided a clear picture of what's happening in healthcare right now in the Humber — the good and the bad, the opportunities and the threats. They talked about making people healthier, dealing with differences between people's health, and handling political uncertainties. But even with all that taking place, they looked ahead to the future and the potential of new opportunities. They saw technology and increased partnership working as a ticket to a better healthcare system.
Anja Hazebroek said that we all have responsibility and a part to play when it comes to healthcare. She also underscored the need for joint efforts to boost health outcomes and life quality across the region. Anja picked out the Teaming Up For Health partnership between Hull KR Foundation, Hull FC Foundation and Hull Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to showcase the importance of collaboration for communities across the region.
She later highlighted the crucial role of education, the necessity of health education implementation, and ensuring support for children's education, given the high rates of absenteeism.
Dr. Pedro Beltran-Alvarez told attendees that the University of Hull and other academia play a vital role to support the development and implementation of ideas. He emphasised the significance of maintaining public health to safeguard the planet's future. He also pointed out the vital contributions young people can make through creative thinking and innovative ideas.
Gary Jones spoke about the use of digital therapeutics and telehealth in managing both physical and mental health. He highlighted recent advancements and projects, such as the 3D printing of bones and organs. Gary described the future as "exciting" and emphasised that technology reaches its full potential when integrated and combined with traditional methods.
Sam Barlow BEM highlighted the charitable sector's potential to influence the future of healthcare, describing it as an 'untapped' resource. She advocated for the recognition of the sector's credibility the importance of partnership working.
In summary, the event demonstrated the critical importance of partnership working in addressing the healthcare landscape in the Humber region. Speakers emphasised the need to tackle challenges head-on, utilise available funding opportunities, and recognise the untapped potential within the charity sector. While the region boasts real opportunities for improvement, examples of success were tempered by existing barriers.
Looking towards the future, all members of the panel expressed optimism about the implementation of technology and increased collaboration as key drivers towards a more effective and inclusive healthcare system.
A huge thank you to Dr Bruce Charlesworth and Reckitt for the use of their facilities and to our panel for providing great insights and informative responses to questions from the audience.