INTERVIEW


small surplus and making a loss. You then have to make price increases, which means fewer people buy the product and rely more on the NHS. Many countries do not tax on health insurance because they see it as taking strain off the system. So there are examples of working together but also areas where there are holes.” The profound advantages of a shift from treatment to


prevention and to encouraging people to look after their health and wellbeing can manifest itself not just in life expectancy but also quality of life. “The overwhelming evidence, evaluation and academic


research of the benefits of living a healthier lifestyle is beyond reproach. It can reduce the threat of cancer, heart disease, obesity and mental health issues,” says David. “You can look at figures that say, for example, if you live in


Richmond upon Thames you’ll live on average to 84 and if you live in Barnsley you’ll live to 82. That’s a two-year difference but the quality of life expectancy is about 16 years apart. That’s people living a long time with chronic conditions with poor quality of life from 60 years of age to death.” It is the workplace where David believes huge gains can


be made and that the role of the business community will be pivotal moving forward. “There’s a whole paper around how you keep people


engaged in work. Holistically, when you look at the social impact, welfare, healthcare and the spiral that is created once an individual is out of work, not to mention the associated emotional issues, it shows how integrated it all has to be. We need to move the system from treatment of disease to prevention of disease and that is what we’re building products and services around, particularly in the workplace. Business can become part of the problem or part of the solution. “We have a 16-year relationship with the British Chambers of Commerce and organisations like this, and the businesses they represent, have a big role to play. Productivity in the UK has never been as low and you can’t separate the health, wellbeing and quality of life of the workforce that is driving productivity.” While the majority of businesses are taking a proactive


approach to the health and wellbeing of employees due to the responsibility they feel as employers, David also believes that the evidence that a sound HR policy can contribute to tangible results for businesses in the long-run is irrefutable. “Research shows that 92% of companies now do


something around health and wellbeing with their staff. There seems to have been more motivation for this in recent years because employers recognise that it is the right thing to do on many levels; they want to be a caring employer. It is our responsibility to acknowledge the good work being undertaken by businesses but also to demonstrate that we’re at a point where it’s an economic necessity, not something you can just consider doing. I hope the trend continues and I expect Government to incentivise businesses to invest in the health and wellbeing of their staff.” David also believes that a proactive approach to health


and wellbeing in the workplace doesn’t have to take time to bear fruit, with many initiatives providing easy wins for businesses. “There are certainly short-term gains and we see these


when we deliver services to our corporate customers through initiatives such as our Sleep 101 sessions and Mental Health Resilience workshops,” explains David. “Internally, the initiatives we have been running for our


own staff have been very successful. Sleep 101, for example, was oversubscribed with over 120 of the 190 Sheffield- based employees taking part because they feel that they perhaps don’t get the sleep they need, so short-term wins and benefits do exist.” While specific initiatives can be powerful, encouraging


behavioural and habitual changes can also provide sustainable, long-term benefits to both businesses and their staff. “We won an award recently for a Walking at Work campaign, which looked to encourage workers to enjoy a brisk walk during the working day. “The impact was great and we still have staff from different departments arranging to go out for a walk at


30 business network May 2017


lunch, so the social benefits are there too and it is a great way for a business and its staff to communicate internally. It’s about a cultural shift.” While healthcare will always be an emotive topic on


which elections can be won and lost, and while problems such as funding and capacity will always be a source of intense national interest, David believes that the UK’s healthcare sector has a lot to be proud of. “No matter how good you are, in whatever walk of life, if


demand outstrips resources, you’re going to struggle. I think Simon Stevens (Chief Executive of NHS England) is doing a brilliant job and it’s a very tough job he’s doing. He understands the challenges and that reform is required in certain areas. I know from going around the world looking at other healthcare systems that the NHS is held on a pedestal and looked at as an exemplary model and we shouldn’t forget that.” So what of the future? While David acknowledges that


much work is still to be done in the face of many serious and long-term challenges to healthcare in the UK, he maintains a positive outlook. “The possibility that those needing non-life threatening


operations may have to wait longer will in itself create opportunities for organisations such as Westfield to support because people don’t want to wait 12 months to have a hip replacement. There will be absolute focus and a centre of excellence on the core issues, which will create a need to move the dial from treatment of diseases to preventing diseases. “I also believe that the onus on employers to take a


leading role in looking after the health of their employees will increase, as will the role of schools, where there needs to be an emphasis on physical and health education. “Clearly Government also has a role to play in


encouraging businesses to support what has to change and that is a significant generational piece on healthier life choices. It’s not going to be easy and it is going to require everyone working together. It will take times but there are small steps that can be taken right now to change behaviour and attitudes and that’s something here at Westfield that we’re excited about.”


Despite challenges, David maintains a positive outlook when it comes to healthcare in the UK


‘Research shows that 92% of companies now do something around health and wellbeing with their staff’


Westfield Health's new headquarters, Westfield House, on Charter Row, Sheffield


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