Occupational health professionals need to be included in local work and health strategies to support people living with ill health return to and stay in work, the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) has said.
In its response to the Get Britain Working white paper, SOM said that, while the paper provided “some good pointers” for the future, it was “disappointed not to see occupational health clearly stated to support prevention of work-related ill health”, echoing wider disappointment within the profession following the paper’s publication.
It however applauded the government’s ambition through the white paper to bring coherence to health skills and employment support, with an emphasis on local communities.
Get Britain Working paper
Get Britain Working white paper branded ‘very disappointing’ for overlooking OH
Cutting NHS waiting lists, SOM also recognised, is a critical part of this, with prioritisation needed on preventing people falling out of work.
“Prevention to stop people becoming ill in the first place is essential with a recognition that work is a key determinant of health,” SOM argued.
More specifically, SOM said it wanted to see OH becoming involved in providing clinical input to NHS primary care, Department for Work and Pensions staff, National Jobs and Careers Service and community assets “to encourage work and health conversations to occur by staff who up to now do not do so”.
The society reiterated its call for a review of fit notes through case note reviews and for the need for universal access to occupational health.
Within this – and again reiterating longstanding positions – it said it wanted to see improved access to small and medium sized companies to support them in identifying and selecting OH and tax incentives for employers for investing in OH.
It called for the Health and Safety Executive to take a more active role, for example in encouraging larger organisations or specific sectors to invest in workplace health. This could be complemented by the appointed of a national clinical lead for work and health, SOM said.
“SOM hopes to be represented in the ‘independent review into the role of employers in creating and maintaining healthy and inclusive workplaces that run through to summer 2025’, stated in section 86 of the white paper,” SOM said.
It added it would continue to engage with officials and MPs going forward as well as offering support to reduce inactivity because of ill health.
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