Council for Work & Health

Strengthening support for young people with MSK conditions at work – Policy Briefing

12th October 2026

Executive summary:

An increasing number of young people report health conditions that limit their ability to study or work. Young people are now one of the most prevalent groups experiencing worklessness, historically unusual. (1) Whilst mental health remains a pressing concern among young people who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET), this briefing focuses on those whose primary health challenges are musculoskeletal (MSK). It recognises that physical and mental health needs are an important and often overlapping barrier to young people’s ability to enter and sustain employment. (2)  Ahead of the publication of Alan Milburn’s review into young people and work, this evidence-based briefing sets out priorities in access to MSK care, rehabilitation, and occupational health (OH) to support young people to enter and sustain education, training and employment. MSK provision offers specialised and evidence-based rehabilitation, coaching and goal-driven outcomes. OH services play a unique role in supporting transitions into work, facilitating workplace adjustments, promoting retention, and coordinating return-to-work support for young people with long-term health conditions. This briefing draws on contributions from stakeholders across NHS community MSK services, occupational health and the independent sector.

Why this matters: Working matters; access to good quality and supportive employment is an important determinant of health, contributing to financial security, social connection and general wellbeing. (3) Currently, one in seven people aged 16–24 are outside of full-time education or employment. In 2023, employed people aged 16–34 were as likely to report a work-limiting health condition as those aged 45–54 were, ten years earlier. Young people with MSK-related conditions are now among the groups with the highest rates of economic inactivity. Between 2022 and 2025, 20% of all awarded assessment decisions for universal credit in 16–21-year-olds were due to musculoskeletal conditions, with a further 13% indicating nervous system disorders and a further 12% with respiratory conditions. (6)  With an average of 2.4 health conditions recorded, this multimorbidity creates a complex health picture. Across the workforce, MSK conditions account for more than 23 million lost working days each year and approximately 20–30% of primary care consultations. (4)(5)

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) feedback from paediatric physiotherapists described increasing MSK presentations, reduced physical activity and delayed access to rehabilitation. The CSP warns unmet needs during childhood could have lasting consequences for health, education, and future employment, and calls for investment in rehabilitation services and the physiotherapy workforce. (7) SOM evidence to Alan Milburn’s review here argued that government and employer efforts to reduce the number of young NEETs will likely falter unless there is access to occupational health. Only half the UK workforce has access to OH. SOM stressed the necessity of equipping workplace managers with the appropriate skills and OH support to manage young workers experiencing physical or mental health conditions. A briefing is also here.

POLICY RISK
There is a risk of creating a future generation of NEETs by failing to provide faster access to NHS MSK community services, the independent sector and occupational health for young people who may now reach adulthood with health conditions that will impact their ability to enter the workplace or to choose a career they would enjoy.

Policy issues: Milburn’s interim report raised concerns that an emphasis on clinical diagnosis within the NHS may overlook functional rehabilitation, occupational therapy and support for participation in work. (13)

  • Inequities in access to care: young people with rheumatic conditions face gaps in access to multidisciplinary rehabilitation. NCEPOD’s Joint Care? (2025) calls for access to appropriately trained physiotherapy, occupational therapy, pain and psychology services from diagnosis, with continued support according to need throughout adolescence and adulthood. (14) GIRFT’s paediatric rheumatology review (2025) identifies variation in access to specialist therapies, referral pathways and waiting times, alongside vulnerabilities in young adult services. Gaps in support during the transition from paediatric to adult care may disrupt continuity at a time when young people are also moving between education, training and employment. (15) Access to timely MSK assessment and rehabilitation remains a concern. First Contact Physiotherapists (FCPs) in primary care, GP referral and direct self-referral to community MSK services provide routes to support, but there is currently fragmented provision of these services. (5)
  • Workforce capacity: In a 2025 survey of 155 paediatric physiotherapists, 94% expressed concern regarding children’s access to rehabilitation, citing workforce shortages, inadequate facilities, and service cuts. (16) Similarly, private sector OH providers face unfilled vacancies, while workforce data suggest that 64% of OH physicians are aged over 50, raising concerns about future capacity as clinicians approach retirement. (17,18)
  • Communication and employer awareness: The British Society for Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery (BSOC) and British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) highlighted weak communication about financial support and employment opportunities. (9) Concurrently, evidence has shown that limited employer awareness of MSK conditions among younger workers may leave their needs unrecognised, creating gaps in workplace adjustments and support to remain in employment. (19)
  • Fragmented support for overlapping physical and mental health needs: The BSCOS/BOA submission warns that requiring a formal mental health diagnosis can delay physical rehabilitation. It calls for allied health provision to address overlapping physical and emotional needs.
  • Research gaps: Evidence on targeted interventions to prepare young people with MSK conditions for work remains limited. Research in young adults with chronic physical conditions has explored work ability and self-efficacy, but has not demonstrated clear benefits over usual care, highlighting the need to develop and evaluate support for the transition into employment. (20)

Difficulties accessing services, quality of provision and workforce challenges coupled with concerns of entering the labour market highlight the need for greater policy attention to young people’s MSK health and access to rehabilitation. (4)

 

POLICY ACTIVITY
Arthritis UK’s parliamentary evidence cites SOM’s MSK Health Toolkit for employers and further education institutions. The toolkit offers practical guidance on recruitment, workplace adjustments, onboarding and preparation for employment. (8)BSCOS and BOA contributed to DWP’s Young People and Work call for evidence, highlighting work by the Joint Work and Health Directorate’s MSK team. (9) Ehlers-Danlos Support UK contributed evidence from across the MSK community, focusing on children and young people and interventions that could improve health and employment outcomes. (10) The British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) highlighted barriers facing young people with MSK and rheumatic conditions in its contribution to the review, including gaps in multidisciplinary support and the transition from paediatric to adult services. (11) The Centre for Musculoskeletal Research at The University of Manchester recommended support for young people with juvenile-onset chronic conditions to enter and stay in the labour market. (12)

Policy priorities:

  1. Strengthen prevention and preparation across education and employment: Establish formal links between education providers, employers and health services to support young people’s MSK health from childhood into work. Incorporate WorkWell pilots, Pathfinder programs, neighbourhood health and work placements to explore opportunities. (21) Equip those responsible for learning and working environments to recognise MSK needs. Promote physical health education and opportunities to build capacity for study and work, recognising overlap between physical and mental health.
  2. Timely access to rehabilitation and occupational health: Ensure young people with MSK conditions can access support to prepare for employment, remain in work, and return after illness or injury. This includes community MSK, First Contact Practitioners (FCPs) and specialist secondary services where necessary. Access should extend to those without an employer and those not in employment, through community or specialist MSK services or if in employment, an employer-provided OH service. Occupational health should be built into the Youth Guarantee and Keep Britain Working agenda, joining up health, education and employment support around each young person. This should include conversations and support that recognise the importance of good work for good health.
  3. Invest in the multidisciplinary workforce: physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and the wider team members such as social prescribers and work coaches in supporting recovery, self-management, and participation. Regarding the private sector, improve utilisation with the view that it has the capacity to scale up provision and meet employer and employee needs. Advance extended scope roles, such as FCPs, ensure young people receive appropriate support to manage their health needs and remain active.
  4. Make employment support easier to navigate: Provide young people with consistent, accessible information on financial support, workplace adjustments, education-to-work transitions and routes back into work.

Karuna Chellen, SOM MSK Honorary Policy Fellow, Occupational Health Physiotherapist, 2 St Andrews Place, London, NW1 4LB 

References

  1. Pathways to Work Commission Report – July 2024. 2024.
  2. Release home – NEET age 16 to 24 – Explore education statistics – GOV.UK [Internet]. [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief/2025
  3. Waddell G, Burton K. Is Work Good for Your Health and Wellbeing? [Internet]. 2006 [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: www.tsoshop.co.uk
  4. What we know about the UK’s working-age health challenge – The Health Foundation [Internet]. [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://www.health.org.uk/reports-and-analysis/analysis/what-we-know-about-the-uk-s-working-age-health-challenge
  5. Scientific summary – Clinical and cost-effectiveness of first contact physiotherapy for musculoskeletal disorders in primary care: the FRONTIER, mixed method realist evaluation – NCBI Bookshelf [Internet]. [cited 2026 Oct 1]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK610521/
  6. Action for Children. Written submission by the Action for Children [Internet]. 2026 [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/162485/html/
  7. CSP echoes paediatricians’ warning that UK is “setting up a generation to fail” | The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy [Internet]. [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://www.csp.org.uk/news/2026-07-15-csp-echoes-paediatricians-warning-uk-setting-generation-fail
  8. The Musculoskeletal (MSK) Health Toolkit for employers and further education institutions How to Support Adolescents and Young Adults to a Better Future to the Musculoskeletal Health Toolkit for Employers and Further Education Institutions.
  9. British Society for Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery (BSCOS) and British Orthopaedic Association (BOA). Young People and Work Report: Call for Evidence. 2026.
  10. The Ehlers-Danlos Support UK. EDS UK shares member evidence with Government Work and Health policy group | The Ehlers-Danlos Support UK [Internet]. 2026 [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://ehlers-danlos.uk/news/1627/
  11. British Society for Rheumatology > News > Details [Internet]. [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://www.rheumatology.org.uk/news/details/Young-People-and-Work-BSR-highlights-the-barriers-for-young-people-with-MSK-and-rheumatic-conditions
  12. Written evidence submitted by Professor Suzanne Verstappen (ESD0037) [Internet]. 2026 [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/148835/html/
  13. Young people and work: interim report – GOV.UK [Internet]. [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/young-people-and-work-interim-report/young-people-and-work-interim-report
  14. Child Health Clinical Outcome Review Programme Joint Care? [Internet]. 2038 [cited 2026 Oct 5]. Available from: https://www.ncepod.org.uk/2025jia/Line%20of%20sight_JIA_Joint%20Care.pdf
  15. GIRFT Programme National Speciality Report: Paediatric Rheumatology [Internet]. [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://gettingitrightfirsttime.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Paediatric-Rheumatology-National-Report-FINAL-December-2025-exec-summary.pdf
  16. New report backs CSP’s calls for children’s rehab reform | The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy [Internet]. [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://www.csp.org.uk/news/2025-05-27-new-report-backs-csps-calls-childrens-rehab-reform
  17. Understanding Occupational Health Provision 2023-24 – GOV.UK [Internet]. [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-occupational-health-provision-2023-24/understanding-occupational-health-provision-2023-24
  18. Atkinson M, De Bono A, Barraclough S, Butterworth C, Edwards D, Festing S, et al. The Future of the Occupational Health Workforce: 1 A review conducted by Dr Nupur Yogarajah, GP and Policy Intern for SOM.
  19. Eden M, Wainwright E, Higgerson J, Madan I, Payne K, Whittaker W, et al. Understanding decision-making in large organisations around implementing workplace initiatives to mitigate the impact of musculoskeletal diseases: A qualitative study. WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation. 2026 Apr 17. doi:10.1177/10519815261439034
  20. Bal MI, Hilberink SR, Roelofs PPDM, van der Slot WMA, Bentvelsen L, Miedema HS, et al. Effect evaluation of a vocational rehabilitation program for young adults with chronic physical conditions at risk for unemployment: A controlled clinical trial. Scand J Occup Ther. 2023;30(8). doi:10.1080/11038128.2023.2228019
  21. Juvenile onset rheumatic diseases: education, vocational readiness, & employment – Nuffield Foundation [Internet]. [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/project/juvenile-onset-rheumatic-diseases-education-vocational-readiness-employment?

 

Supporting the people who support workplace health: iOH in practice

Supporting the people who support workplace health: iOH in practice

Samantha Langford, Board Director iOH

At iOH, the Association of Occupational Health and Wellbeing Professionals, our ambition is to support confident practitioners who can contribute to and influence the health of people at work, whether in an internal post, or working for an external partner. We strive to provide people across all aspects of occupational health and workplace wellbeing access to relevant learning, supportive professional connections and opportunities to share their expertise.

Our aims centre on bringing the occupational health community together, championing multidisciplinary working and sharing expertise. Our charitable purpose is the advancement of public health, particularly workplace health, by developing practitioners’ knowledge, skills and experience and promoting good practice. We are working towards occupational health expertise being engaged early, its contributions being valued, and its advice informing organisational decisions. This aligns with the Council for Work and Health’s mission of providing professional leadership and expertise on strategic work and health issues, by actively supporting those delivering this work, sharing their knowledge and informing wider discussions on the future of occupational health.

Developing confidence and expertise

Our community of 1,500 members has considerable knowledge and experience to share. Our role is to facilitate the sharing of that knowledge, whether through our blog, quarterly journal or extensive webinar programme. The latter covers a wide range of topics, recently covering chronic pain, fertility treatments and the use of artificial intelligence, offering free live sessions and on demand recordings. These free sessions ensure that learning is accessible for members and subjects reflect the topics that practitioners are facing, as well as covering emerging themes.

As part of membership, our quarterly journal, OH Today, brings together professional insight from across the sector, as well as members’ practical experience. Covering the broad range of elements that encompass our multi-disciplinary sector matters; whether covering clinical supervision, night work, or trauma informed practice. Occupational health involves understanding the whole person, including their history, as well as their work, and the organisation in which they work. Covering such different perspectives helps practitioners across the various roles to consider things that they may encounter through their work. It’s no surprise that our member survey indicates that these are some of our most valued member benefits.

We build on these insights by providing practical resources that members can utilise when responding to the needs of their clients, such as our toolkits on neurodiversity, menopause, and fertility.

Pulling everything together are our reflective practice sessions, which recognise the complexities of occupational health, and provide a safe space for members to discuss clinical evidence, or ethical decision-making, with their peers. These sessions really complement our career development portal, which supports members through career transition. We know that every stage of a career in occupational health has challenges, so we have endeavoured to consider the support that is most effective for members, from those still in training, to those with many years of practice.

Additionally, our grant scheme helps members, including trainees, access learning and career opportunities. This year, funding has supported 78 members to attend conferences and study days, undertake courses in areas such as clinical supervision and travel health, and work towards larger qualifications, including Master’s-level study and the Diploma in Occupational Health Practice.

A connected professional community

Occupational health is a diverse and dynamic sector, and having peers to learn from and provide support is invaluable. Our aim is to facilitate that community, through networking, and spaces for members to connect as well as develop. We’re proud that our membership is cost effective, and free student members helps provide opportunities to build those connections early on in their career.

We know that collaboration is key across our sector, as well as facilitating the meeting of our aims. Our partners and Friends of iOH bring in connections from education, recruitment, occupational health equipment and workplace wellbeing. These are an important addition to the wider network for both our members and supporting our work.

We value the vast experience and knowledge within our community and recognise the importance that it plays in discussions about occupational health and workplace wellbeing.  Whether speaking at professional development events or responding to developments such as the Keep Britian Working Review, we want to contribute to informed discussions about occupational health and wellbeing and ensure that the people within those roles have a voice in shaping the future.

Conclusion

By supporting the people at the heart of occupational health, sharing expertise, and fostering informed debate, we contribute to the Council for Work and Health’s vision of stronger professional leadership and a healthier future for workers, workplaces, and society.

College of Work and Health: September 2026 update

This week the College Board met to review progress and decide next steps in the development of the College and informed by the highly useful suggestions made at the College Advisory Group (CAG) at its inaugural meeting on 15th July.

In keeping with our theme of inclusivity, we want to ensure all employers have competent advice on prevention of ill health and on enabling those with health conditions and disabilities to be supported in work; particularly those harder to reach and at higher risk of work related ill health and of falling out of work due to ill health.

Having taken guidance from the CAG member who highlighted this important issue and others, we are seeking to extend worker voice beyond the excellent contribution we already have from our lay trustee for employee voice on FOM Board, nominated by the Trades Unions, and also a member of College Board. We should value your views and suggestions on how to gain the perspective of those employed in smaller organisations and from more disadvantaged groups such as migrant workers. Please do get in touch with ideas and any contacts you feel may be helpful via President@fom.ac.uk

Work is a key social determinant of health, and other social determinants of health such as housing and social deprivation can also have significant impact on health in work. The College enhancing the consistency and competence of work and health professional advice may make a real difference to existing health inequalities.

The strong linkage between public health and workplace health and the importance of competent advice to duty holders on the effective prevention of work related ill health was part of the talk I was privileged to give at the NI Public Sector Occupational Health Collaborative Forum Conference in Northern Ireland this week. I also chaired a panel discussion considering a wide range of issues relating to how the value that occupational health professionals bring can be enhanced through engagement at the strategic level, i.e. advice “upstream” to senior leaders to prevent ill health occurring in the first place and timely identification and intervention when ill health that may be work related or may impact on a worker’s capacity for work is identified. To do so, employers need to be assured that advice given by work and health professionals they engage (either in-house or contracted in) is to the required standard. At the meeting in NI, the purpose of the FOM launching the College of Work and Health was highlighted; to extend the existing work FOM already does on professional standards in Occupational Medicine, and more widely in occupational health including producing the ethics guidance for occupational health practice and running the SEQOHS accreditation scheme for occupational health service providers. The value the College has the potential to deliver was welcomed.

To this end, we have completed the first stage of our mapping of the work and health sector. We are also considering how the College might contribute to the assurance of the wide range of non-clinical roles that are not regulated currently and which will form a significant element of workplace health provision that the Keep Britain Working (KBW) team are working to deliver; what they describe in the KBW update released this week as a national growth opportunity. Over the coming months we will be consulting on our initial proposals for how assurance of competence may best be delivered in what will be a much wider work and health professional workforce. We would invite you to join one or more of the series of online meetings we will be holding, in addition to discussion at other meetings we will be speaking at, between now and March 2027. Dates will be promulgated shortly and may be booked via James, our EA at FOM on ea@fom.ac.uk

Robin Cordell

MBA FRCP FFOM

Chair. College of Work and Health

25 September 2026

Celebrating the best of NHS occupational health: the OHPRAs 2026

As a truly privileged OHPRA judge, I wonder whether those submitting for an OHPRA (NHS health at Work Network Recognition Awards), truly appreciate the impact their application has beyond the chance of winning.

As judges, we have the privilege of seeing occupational health (OH) and wellbeing, at its very best.

For most of the year, we focus on our own challenges, priorities and workforce pressures. The awards provide an opportunity to step back and see the incredible work taking place across the NHS. As someone who sits outside the NHS OH department, I am always blown away by the submissions. Reading them shows me just how much innovation, passion and determination exists within our profession and in the NHS. Especially as NHS OH departments have a lot of constraints and difficulties both financially and culturally within the organisations they service. This makes the quality of submissions even more special.

The OHPRAs were created to showcase and celebrate projects that support the ambitions of the NHS Health at Work Network and the wider occupational health and wellbeing agenda. The awards recognise OH departments are not simply delivering a service, but looking at how they can do things differently, improve outcomes and contribute to the growth of the profession and quality service provision. The award categories reflect key strategic priorities for all of us in OH, including developing our people, strengthening the evidence base, raising the profile of occupational health and wellbeing, and working collaboratively across systems.

As a judge, one of the most enjoyable parts of the process is reading the submissions. Every year I am struck by the quality of the entries and the diversity of ideas being developed across the country. They demonstrate that innovation is alive and well in NHS OH. I become fascinated by a service redesign, a workforce development programme, a digital innovation or a wellbeing initiative that has genuinely changed lives. Some projects are large and transformational. Others are relatively simple ideas executed brilliantly, and you wonder why no one else thought of it! What they all have in common is a difference to their teams, the organisation and the workforce they serve. What impressed me this year, was the number of submissions showcasing the multidisciplinary workforce in their teams. This is a step change and such a welcome one. We are stronger together and interdisciplinary learning is key.

Meeting the shortlisted teams is often the highlight of the process. You hear and see the enthusiasm of the individuals involved and the pride they have in what they have achieved. As one candidate said to me, I was expecting 3 questions but only got 2! That was because the submission was so excellently presented.

OH has always been a profession built on collaboration, and the finalists embody that spirit. There is a genuine wish to help colleagues learn from what has worked, avoid pitfalls and take successful ideas back to their own organisations. The awards are therefore about much more than recognition. They are about spreading innovation and accelerating improvement across the NHS.

Each year the winners are announced at the NHS Health at Work Network Annual Conference, held at Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth. It is a lovely setting, surrounded by occupational health professionals from across the country. The atmosphere is always one of excitement and friendship. Everyone celebrates for each other and of course catch up with people that haven’t seen for a while or meet new people. Being an NHS event gives this conference and award dinner a common link and understanding. It is joyous when the runners-up and winners come up to receive their awards, Hilary Winch, as compere, truly does them justice.

For me, that is the real value of the OHPRAs. They remind us that outstanding occupational health and wellbeing practice is happening every day across the NHS. They showcase what is possible when talented people are given the opportunity to innovate. They provide practical examples that others can learn from. Most of all, they celebrate the people behind the projects.

And after reading the submissions, meeting the teams and attending the awards ceremony, I am always left with the same feeling: optimism about the future of occupational health and wellbeing. Because if these are the ideas, people and services shaping the profession, the future is in very good hands indeed. But it is also a time to reflect on all that is good from the past that is going forward into our future.

In that respect, this year was particularly special; our wonderful Professor Diana Kloss (MBE) received a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Diana has shaped occupational health practice in ways few others have. Her deep knowledge of law, ethics and confidentiality, has supported and continues to support countless professionals and helped the field navigate some of its most challenging responsibilities.

But what makes Diana so admired is not just her expertise, it’s her generosity. Her clarity, her ability to make complex issues understandable, and her unwavering commitment to protecting both professional standards and the people we serve makes her a very person in OH. It was a privilege to see her contribution recognised, and a joy to share the evening with her, luckily seated directly next to her.

A richly deserved award for a remarkable woman. Congratulations, Professor Diana Kloss.

Janet O’Neill

Judge, NHS Health at Work Network Occupational Health Practice Recognition Awards (OHPRAs); Deputy Head NSOH; Head of PAM Academy. iOH Trustee, Board member Council for Work and Health.

The Council for Work and Health is proud to support and champion initiatives that highlight excellence in workplace health, and the OHPRAs are a shining example of how recognising success can inspire even greater progress across the sector.

A stronger future for occupational health (SOM Blog) October 2026

A stronger future for occupational health

The nature of work is changing fast. New technologies, shifting workforce expectations, longer working lives and intractable health inequalities are reshaping the relationship between employment and wellbeing. At the same time, employers are managing new patterns of work, rising health-related absence and demand for inclusive workplaces. Occupational health (OH) must evolve with them.

SOM provides an inclusive professional home and trusted voice for the OH community. Connecting people across disciplines and career stages, providing a wealth of resources for continuing professional development, whilst turning evidence into better outcomes for workers and organisations. This supports the Council’s mission of providing professional leadership and expertise on all strategic work and health issues.

SOM’s first priority is to ensure membership is valuable at every stage of a career. Someone discovering OH for the first time needs a different kind of support from an experienced practitioner, a senior leader or a retired member who still wants to contribute. SOM’s regional groups, events and Special Interest Groups (SIGs), support that. Future plans include an introduction to occupational health e-learning package, a developing Leadership Academy and mini-MBA, and sustainable delivery of the WISE-QM quality mark. SOM is also exploring how to make better use SOM regional groups to align with the current government’s localisation strategy.

OH succeeds when it draws on the full range of medical, nursing, allied health, rehabilitation, employment, and workplace health expertise. Annual careers activity, with partners such as the National School of Occupational Health (NSOH) aims to make the profession more visible and accessible. SOM’s scholarships and awards help people progress with their OH career and continue to improve the quality of practice.

As the Council does, by connecting professional groups rather than keeping them in separate lanes, SOM aims to support a multidisciplinary workforce equipped for future demand.

Good work can protect health, support recovery, and create wider social and economic value. That case must be heard more clearly in government, the NHS, business, and public debate. SOM works with the Council and other professional bodies, trade unions, universities, charities, and employers to achieve this. In particular, there is a key partnership with the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM), running a joint annual conference, providing medical appraisals, and ensuring our policy positions are aligned where possible. SOM strongly believes that the world of OH is better when we work together.

Making the case for OH is key. Sustained public relations, backed up with practical case studies, aims to make occupational health easier to understand. Coming up, SOM wishes to highlight the work of OH to support NEETS; SOM is wholly aligned with the government’s belief that the best thing we can offer young people is a first job, not a benefit payment!

SOM is a destination for credible publications. Take a look at our catalogue at the SOM Publications Catalogue here and our catalogue of webinars here. A key member benefit is access to the Occupational Medicine Journal.

Evidence has greatest value when people can use it. SOM aims to strengthen the research community, supporting the independent Academic Forum for Work and Health. SOM recently hosted a Research Priority Setting Meeting on work and health (report here). The workshop brought together a wide range of stakeholders to identify and prioritise key areas for future research in OH. The workshop was organised by SOM and was jointly produced with the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the Faculty of Occupational Medicine; The Colt Foundation sponsored the venue and it was facilitated by an independent adviser from the James Lind Alliance.

At its heart, SOM share’s the Council’s wish for one multidisciplinary community, working towards healthier work, better practice, and outcomes. Our success is measured by more people entering OH as a career, greater employer and public understanding of OH, and use of OH research in practice.

Coming up, we have the SOM Occupational Health Awards – entries for the 2026 awards are now open! Do apply by completing the form here (rules of entry here). Closing date: 5pm Monday 2nd November. Categories are as follows:

  • Outstanding Occupational Health Initiative
  • Outstanding Occupational Health Practitioner
  • Outstanding Contribution by an Employer to Workplace Health and Wellbeing, sponsored by OH Assessment
  • Outstanding Occupational Health Team
  • Outstanding Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion
  • Outstanding Contribution to the Development of OH Globally
  • Outstanding Contribution to Occupational Health Research
  • SOM Early Career Award
  • SOM Lifetime Achievement Award

Winners will be announced at our Christmas Drinks Reception at the Royal College of Physicians London on Tuesday 8th December. Book your place here.

Overall, by supporting SOM members, developing the OH workforce, working with partners such as the Council for Work and Health, influencing systems around work and health, and making evidence useful, SOM will help OH meet future challenges. The opportunity is not simply to respond to a changing world of work, but to shape it, ensuring that more people can enter, remain and thrive in good work.

Nick Pahl, CEO

Professor Neil Greenberg, President

Workplace Mental Health Roundtable meeting – iOH – Blog

31st August 2026

Workplace Mental Health Roundtable Meeting

On behalf of iOH, I was pleased to attend a recent Roundtable event to discuss Workplace Mental Health (MH). Jointly hosted by The Council for Work and Health (CWH) and the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists(BACP), there were representatives from ACAS, SOM, HSE, Able Futures and the Charlie Waller Foundation. Kevin Bampton, Chair of CWH and Nicola Neath of BACP led the group of 13 for small group discussions focussing on:

  • How people without specialist MH training, such as work coaches, managers, or frontline advisors should approach MH conversations with employees.
  • What wider conditions are needed for better MH support.

What followed was four hours of respectful and informed conversations ranging from making conversations safe via guidance, resources, and referral routes, to what one policy or initiative should the government prioritise. We spoke about what makes workplace support for MH effective, barriers to MH support at work, and what critical questions are being overlooked.

Whilst the day seemed to raise more questions than it answered we concluded that any cultural shift needs a community effort, that Annual Reports should go beyond finances and include wellbeing data and that the very smallest of organisations (who may have very few staff and no HR or Occupational Health function) need specific resources. We touched on the possibility that the group could contribute to a competence framework and script, possibly via ACAS, which seems perfectly placed for such a resource.

The CWH provides a coordinated professional voice to influence and engage with our government. To this end, the takeaway task set by Kevin was to reflect on “what one thing should I bang-on about to MP’s, Ministers, Civil Servants and Government?”.

Reader’s inspirations and ideas are welcome, either by commenting below, or writing to admin@ioh.org.uk

Libby Hassanali

Libby is an Author, Independent Occupational Health Nurse Advisor, Trainer specialising in Workplace Stress and Mental Fitness, Associate Lecturer Robert Gordon University, Board Director of iOH

Good work and workplace design are the best, if not the only, ways to prevent ill-health at work.  They also promote wellbeing and productivity.

Tom Stewart