Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

DisabilityMusculoskeletal disordersOccupational Health

Minister urges employers to create arthritis-friendly workplaces

by Ashleigh Webber 1 Aug 2018
by Ashleigh Webber 1 Aug 2018

The minister for disabled people, health and work, Sarah Newton, has urged employers to make adjustments for people with arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders to help increase job opportunities for those who feel traditional workplaces would be challenging for them.

Her call to action came following the launch of the government’s £4.2m Challenge Fund, which will fund research into new approaches that might help people with either musculoskeletal conditions or mental health issues stay in work.

Disabilities

Should an employer that does not have disabled employees concern itself with good practice in disability?

The fund, which is managed by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Health and Social Care, is available for around 20 research initiatives looking at:

  • measures to help disabled people stay in work by increasing their ability to self-manage their conditions;
  • new approaches to assist employers and colleagues in helping people with musculoskeletal or mental health conditions stay in employment; and,
  • how systems can be joined up to improve communication, liaison or joint action between government and other organisations.

The fund was launched as part of government ambitions to get one million more disabled people in work by 2027.

According to charity Arthritis Research UK, arthritis and back pain account for 30 million working days lost each year.

Newton said: “We know there is a gap between disabled people who want to work and those who have the opportunity to do so.

“78% of people acquire their disability or health condition during their adult life, which is why we’ve launched the Challenge Fund to support those disabled people who want to work to stay in or return to employment.”

Arthritis Research UK chief executive Liam O’Toole said: “Arthritis and related conditions, like back pain, affect around 17.8 million people in the UK. We know arthritis can have a devastating impact and too often takes away the freedoms most of us take for granted.

“We are determined to help people with arthritis to maintain their health, wellbeing and independence, and we know that work is fundamental to that.”

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor at OHW+ and HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport magazines, touching on some of the employment and wellbeing issues experienced by those in road haulage.

previous post
Remaining Carillion apprentices to be made redundant
next post
Top 10 HR questions July 2018 – workplace temperatures and holiday pay

1 comment

Avatar
ALAN LEVY 8 Aug 2018 - 2:34 pm

This served as an example for the rest of the world! Thank you Alan

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Call for better workplace ventilation as Covid cases...

1 Jul 2022

NHS to push expansion of health checks in...

1 Jul 2022

Business leaders urged to prioritise wellbeing as we...

1 Jul 2022

Home working enabled more with arthritis to stay...

28 Jun 2022

Third expect no access to mental health support...

28 Jun 2022

Lack of sick pay forcing two-thirds to work...

27 Jun 2022

Cost of living could lead to ‘pandemic sized’...

27 Jun 2022

Thousands unable to access local stop-smoking support

27 Jun 2022

Managers unsure how best to support cancer return...

24 Jun 2022

Employers urged to offer fast-track long Covid support

24 Jun 2022

  • NSPCC revamps its learning strategy with child wellbeing at its heart PROMOTED | The NSPCC’s mission is to prevent abuse and neglect...Read more
  • Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters PROMOTED | It’s possible for an environment to be diverse, but not inclusive...Read more
  • Five steps for organisations across the globe to become more skills-driven PROMOTED | The shift in the world of work has been felt across the globe...Read more
  • The future of workforce development PROMOTED | Northumbria University and partners share insight...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today