About People Matter 2017

People Matter 2017: What’s next for widening participation in health and care?
27 June 2017
9.45 – 17.00 (Registration from 9.00 – 9.45)
The Strand, Central London

To provide the best health and care to the changing population of England, its workforce must be representative of the diverse local communities it seeks to serve. Are we doing enough to challenge the institutional barriers that exist which prevent the recruitment, retention and progression of underrepresented individuals and groups? Are our efforts working to ensure that the health and care workforce is representative of the communities it serves, and that progression and opportunities are based on merit, not social background? This conference aimed to address these questions and more, along with sharing highlights from the excellent work of health and care organisations to promote fair access to education and employment within the sector.

This conference was for anyone interested in addressing workforce supply challenges in health and care and how widening access to education and employment opportunities and increasing the talent pool will enable a more diverse and inclusive workforce for the future.

The  conference was followed by Health Education England’s National Widening Participation Awards.

Aims of People Matter 2017

• To showcase best practice and to critically examine efforts to widen participation in health and care from a range of perspectives, including: employers, higher education providers, practitioners, researchers, senior management, and so many more;
• To create an environment where delegates can not only hear about best practice and new research, but also share their own experiences with delegates from across the country;
• To inspire stakeholders to ensure the principles of equality and diversity are an integral aspect of education, training and workforce development in order to reach all untapped potential;
• To equip people for immediate action in their regions and to provide an opportunity to build networks for further collaboration.
• To use workshops, exhibitions and the Health Education England’s National Widening Participation Awards to offer the chance to celebrate and re-energise widening participation and access to health and care education and employment.

On 27^th June, representatives from across the health, social care and higher education sectors gathered to learn from engaging keynote speakers, take part in stimulating breakout sessions, hear from exhibitors and interact with a panel discussion. People Matter 2017 provided delegates with the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of widening participation, retention, diversity and progression in health and care while providing a much needed space to share experiences with delegates from across the country.