Working for a healthier tomorrow -
Dame Carol Black's review of the
health of Britain's working age
population
Taken from NRAS magazine, Autumn 2008
NRAS was pleased to be able to submit evidence for this review which looks at
the health of working age people and “a concern to remedy the human, social and
economic costs of impaired health and well-being in relation to working life in
Britain”. The review was undertaken by Dame Carol Black who is the government’s
National Director for Health and Work.
The report states that around 175 million working days were lost to illness
in 2006 and it is estimated that the overall costs of sickness absence and
health-related worklessness among those of working age is in excess of £100
billion per year (around the cost of the NHS budget!).
The report has 3 principal objectives:
- Prevention of illness and promotion of health and well-being
- Early intervention for those who develop a health condition
- An improvement in the health of those out of work – so that everyone with
the potential to work has the support they need to do so
It looks at wide ranging challenges for change and makes key recommendations
in the following areas:
- the role of the workplace in health and well-being
- changing perceptions of fitness for work
- developing a new model for early intervention
- developing professional expertise for working age health
The full report sets out a new vision for health and work in Britain and
shows that wide ranging reforms are needed.
NRAS Members may be particularly interested in the section of the report
which looks at developing a new model for ‘early intervention’ for those who
have long periods of sickness which can sometimes ultimately progress to losing
employment.
‘A Fit to Work’ service is proposed which would be case managed and provide
an individualised plan for achieving recovery. This kind of service would ensure
that those with more serious conditions would be referred onwards at the
earliest opportunity.
The report proposes that a GP would be able to refer a patient, through an
electronic fit note system, to a multidisciplinary ‘Fit for Work’ service. Then
a case manager would be able to guide the patient through a personally tailored
programme of support. This would not be restricted to medical treatment and may
also include:
- exercise and physical training
- cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling
- physical and occupational therapy and other clinical interventions
- occupational health interventions including assessment of appropriateness
of returning to work
- advice and support for social concerns e.g. financial, housing, family and
childcare issues.
The GP would be updated by the case manager. The service would also contact
the employer to facilitate a return to work when appropriate. This might include
discussing adaptations in the workplace, phased return to work, flexible
working, restricting duties or changing job role and responsibilities.
This article covers only a small part of the review. The full report,
including more information on the importance of keeping people healthy at work
together with lots of useful case studies, can be found at http://www.workingforhealth.gov.uk
The recommendations are now being considered by a cross government team from
the Department of Health and Department of Work and Pensions.
NRAS welcomes the proposals for improving support for people with long term
illness and hopes that the government will support the recommendations in this
review at the earliest opportunity.