Health and work update for clients as at 9th December 2024
PROMOTING, PROTECTING AND SUPPORTING HEALTH IN WORK
Primary recipients of this and each of our regular monthly updates are asked to ensure these are disseminated to colleagues in HR, those in line management positions, and to senior management.
- Preventing ill health and supporting employee health in work
On 26th November, the UK Government published the Get Britain Working White Paper[1], with an emphasis on supporting those out of work to return. However, the White Paper makes the key point that preventing ill health and injury at work, and supporting those with health conditions and disabilities in their work, is essential to reduce risk of people falling out of work. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) report that disabled people are twice as likely to fall out of work, and three times less likely to be able to return to work than non-disabled people[2]. We will continue to work with our clients in advising on health risks in their organisations and potential mitigations.
A report from the Work Foundation this month also makes clear the imperative for timely healthcare intervention[3]. Lord Darzi in his report on the NHS in England notes that “having more people in work grows the economy and so creates more tax receipts to fund public services. There is therefore a virtuous circle if the NHS can help more people back into work”[4].
It will however take some years for waiting times for NHS treatment to be brought down. In addition to workplace support such as employee assistance programmes, we can advise on other measures to support the health of individual employees in work or to return to work, such as physiotherapy. In some circumstances we may also advise the employer to consider if there could be a business case for investing in a consultation and/or investigations privately to enable a timely return to work.
- Men’s health
The Government also announced an initiative on men’s health in November, or “Movember”. Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting has launched a strategy to consider how to prevent and tackle the biggest health problems affecting men of all ages, such as cardiovascular disease, prostate cancer and testicular cancer, as well as mental health and suicide prevention[5].
In line with this, I have noted that over this year that men’s toilets in motorway service stations often have bins for pads and other sanitary products such as colostomy bags. Just this last week I saw a worker who following surgery for prostate cancer does have some leakage; having a place when at work to put the pads he wears would make a significant contribution to his confidence now that he has returned to work. As reported by the BBC, Portsmouth City Council has already taken an initiative to encourage employers across the city to provide these[6]. I suggest all our clients consider having such bins in the cubicles in male staff toilets[7]. Not only does this have a practical benefit, but also reinforces the message that men’s health is considered important by the employer.
With best wishes for the Season.
Dr Robin Cordell
MBA FRCP FFOM
9 December 2024
We should draw attention to the links on our home page to this current monthly health and work update for our clients, and also to our previous updates at: https://cordellhealth.co.uk/.
[1] UK Government (2024) at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/get-britain-working-white-paper/get-britain-working-white-paper
[2] ONS (2023) at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/the-employment-of-disabled-people-2023/employment-of-disabled-people-2023
[3] Work Foundation (2024) at: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundation/publications/stemming-the-tide
[4] Lord Darzi’s report on the NHS in England (2024) at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-investigation-of-the-nhs-in-england
[5] UK Government (2024). Press release dated28 Nov 2024 as at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/secretary-of-state-commits-to-first-ever-mens-health-strategy
[6] BBC (2023). Portsmouth sanitary bins call for men’s toilets to end ‘stigma’ dated 16 Nov 2023 as at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-67438599
[7] Rail Business Daily (2024). UK’s largest railway puts ‘bins for boys’ in every male toilet on its network dated 12 Jun 2024 as at: https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/uks-largest-railway-puts-bins-for-boys-in-every-male-toilet-on-its-network/