Ministers are urging employers to do extra to maintain staff wholesome and cut back the numbers out of labor attributable to long-term illness
Session launching on measures to extend employer uptake and widen attain of Occupational Well being
Plans embody a brand new commonplace for companies to undertake to spice up well being within the office
Higher office assist anticipated to develop the economic system and sort out inactivity by bettering productiveness and stopping health-related job losses
The Division for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) and Division of Well being and Social Care ( DHSC ) are right this moment [Thursday 20 July] publishing a session on methods to extend uptake of Occupational Well being provision.
Employers can be inspired to take up Occupational Well being presents to assist staff entry important psychological and bodily well being assist at work, significantly for these working in small and medium-sized enterprises.
These proposals embody introducing a nationwide “well being at work” commonplace for all employers to supply a baseline for high quality Occupational Well being provision, which incorporates steering, an choice to pursue accreditation, and extra authorities assist providers – for instance outreach staff to assist SMEs to satisfy the requirements.
It additionally seeks views on growing longer-term workforce capability to assist meet any elevated demand for Occupational Well being providers sooner or later by:
Encouraging NHS leavers or those that are contemplating a profession change to pivot in the direction of the Occupational Well being specialism
Creating a longer-term, multi-disciplinary workforce to supply Occupational Well being providers
The session may even ask employers to share their examples of fine Occupational Well being provision to assist inform different companies and encourage them to supply the identical.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mel Stride MP, stated:
This Authorities is investing billions in getting folks again to work and rising the economic system. We want employers to maintain enjoying their half too.
Wholesome companies want wholesome staff – employers will profit from larger retention charges, extra productive staff, and fewer work days misplaced attributable to illness. Enhancing well being within the office is an important piece of the puzzle in our drive to extend employment.
Minister for Disabled Folks, Well being and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, stated:
Lengthy-term illness is a large contributor to financial inactivity, and whereas in fact some persons are unable to work, higher lodging of well being issues within the office will open up a wider workforce to employers and assist staff with a spread of wants.
Many small and medium-sized enterprise homeowners already make investments considerably within the well being and wellbeing of their workforce, however this can be a gamechanger in figuring out and eradicating obstacles to folks with well being circumstances beginning, staying and succeeding in work.
To additionally assist hold folks in work, the federal government will right this moment additionally publish a separate session choices to extend funding in Occupational Well being providers by UK vast employers by the tax system. This follows its announcement on the Spring Price range the place it dedicated to seek the advice of on incentivising better provision of Occupational Well being by the tax system.
The federal government needs to discover the case for offering extra tax reduction to companies on their Occupational Well being prices. Particularly, the session asks respondents for his or her experiences of offering Occupational Well being, together with what providers they supply and any boundaries they expertise. It additionally asks for proof on the effectiveness of current tax incentives and asks respondents for his or her views on the deserves of increasing the present Profit-in-Form reduction, and ideas on any various tax incentives.
Tax reliefs on Advantages-in-Form are already obtainable for sure occupational well being providers. This session will take a look at if increasing these reliefs or introducing new ones might be an efficient lever to realize better Occupational Well being provision, in addition to ideas on any various tax incentives. The session will decide if increasing tax incentives is an applicable measure to spice up Occupational Well being provision.
That is all a key part of the measures within the 2023 Spring Price range to develop labour market participation, cut back financial inactivity and get extra folks into work. The Division helps hundreds of thousands to return to work with inactivity falling by 360,000 because the peak of the pandemic.
Lengthy-term illness is at the moment the principle motive folks of working-age give for being economically inactive, however slightly below half of staff have entry to Occupational Well being providers. Over 90% of enormous employers provide Occupational Well being assist, in comparison with beneath a fifth of small ones.
Occupational Well being provision may help employers present work-based assist to handle their staff’ well being circumstances, main to higher retention and return-to-work prospects, and bettering enterprise productiveness, which could be adversely impacted by illness absence.
Secretary of State for Well being and Social Care, Steve Barclay stated:
Top quality Occupational Well being assist in additional workplaces wouldn’t solely assist to scale back financial inactivity, however it could actually result in a more healthy, happier workforce.
The person well being advantages are clear and by specializing in preventative measures, we will cut back the burden on the NHS and assist to carry ready lists down, which is among the authorities’s prime priorities.
Angela Rowntree, Occupational Well being Doctor for the John Lewis Partnership, stated:
At John Lewis Partnership we’re shifting away from reactively managing illness to proactively supporting our Companions’ well being and wellbeing at work.
Our founder, Spedan Lewis understood this when he launched an in-house well being service for all Companions in 1929 – almost 20 years earlier than the NHS was established – and we’re proud to be a part of his legacy right this moment, offering recommendation and assist to assist our Companions obtain their potential within the office.
We welcome this new give attention to guaranteeing different companies and their staff are in a position to entry higher office well being.
The Occupational Well being session will run till 23:59 on Thursday 12 October 2023.
Additional info
The session opens on Thursday 20 July and closes on Thursday 12 October.
Media enquiries for this press launch – 0115 965 8781