hThe founder and director of a global not-for-profit health organisation will be the main speaker at a conference on happiness at work.

Christine Hancock, chief executive of C3 Collaborating for Health, will give some insights from her career at the Wellbeing Symposium at Canterbury Christ Church University.

She is a former president of the International Council of Nurses, where she was involved in policy-making through the World Health Organisation and other UN bodies and visited 50 countries looking at their health care.

She has also been a health service manager and was a chief executive of NHS for Waltham Forest before 12 years as boss and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing.

The Wellbeing Symposium, the largest event of its kind in the UK, brings together voices from across the health and wellbeing sector providing insight on the latest industry news.

“Health and wellbeing are an increasingly important focus for employers and the symposium will provide an excellent opportunity to engage in a wide-ranging discussion and hear from others about key initiatives...” - Catherine Daw, Brachers

Other keynote speakers include Christian Van Stolk of not-for-profit research institute RAND Europe and Robert West and Debbie Dunkley of law firm Baker & McKenzie.

For the first time, it also features awards for projects and people across Kent making the modern workplace a better place to be.

Simon James, chief executive of KIMS Hospital, which sponsors the new Inspiring Wellbeing Awards, said: “With 42% of employees stating that a health condition affected their work, ‘a great deal’ or ‘to some extent,’ now is the time for leaders and individuals to take action to ensure wellbeing in the workplace and community is addressed.”

The deadline for nominations for the Inspiring Wellbeing Awards is Wednesday, February 8, at 5pm. Enter at www.thewellbeingsymposium.com

The Wellbeing Symposium is organised by Maidstone-based agency Pillory Barn and sponsored by Maidstone law firm Brachers and its HR specialists Kent HR.

Catherine Daw, a partner at Brachers, said: “Health and wellbeing are an increasingly important focus for employers and the symposium will provide an excellent opportunity to engage in a wide-ranging discussion and hear from others about key initiatives.”

The symposium takes place on Wednesday, February 22.