The Director of Public Health Annual Report report for 2025 to 2026 focuses on the relationship between work and our health and wellbeing.
We've used data, people's real experiences and local knowledge to look at:
- what good work looks like
- who's most affected when work harms health
- how employers and key local organisations can help create healthier and fairer workplaces
Annual report videos
This year, we're sharing our annual report as a series of short videos. Each video looks at a different part of how work affects health. You can watch them on their own, or together as a full series.
Our videos explain what we've learned. They also identify opportunities for further work.
You can find all of the following videos on our Westmorland and Furness Council YouTube channel:
- Foreword: Katrina Stephens (Director of Public Health) and Cllr Patricia Bell (Cabinet member for Adult Care)
- Introduction: Why work and health matter
- The local picture: Work and health in Westmorland and Furness
- Good work and employer action: What healthy workplaces look like
- When work harms health: Who is most affected
- Anchor institutions: Leading change through local power
- Call to action: Building a healthier working future - the Director of Public Health's recommendations
Recommendations
The Annual Report includes five recommendations to make good work the norm and ensure that employment is accessible, sustainable and health-promoting for all residents.
Find the recommendations for good work and good health in full (PDF, 365KB).
Data pack
We've produced a pack containing the information slides used in our videos (PDF , 2.2 MB).
This includes:
- figures about healthy life expectancy, retirement, population and structure
- details about health conditions, benefit claims and economic inactivity
- figures for labour shortages in our area
- the impact all of this has on different groups our area
Work and Health Fund
We're fortunate to have a dedicated Work and Health Fund for Barrow. This is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Department for Work and Pensions.
The programme provides £1 million per year of funding. We've used this in the first year to:
- understand the impact of health on work, and of work on health, locally
- start putting interventions in place to ensure that work is fair, inclusive and supports good health
Our progress on last year's annual report recommendations
The Director of Public Health's Annual Report for 2024 to 2025 (PDF , 8MB) looked at health and wellbeing and health inequalities in Westmorland and Furness.
You can read an update on the progress made on the recommendations contained in last year’s report (PDF , 181KB).
Contact us
You can contact us if you have any questions, or would like the information from the videos in an alternative format.
Email: public.healthenquiries.waf@cumbria.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 373 3300