SOM response to Keep Britain Working final report:
Too many employees leave jobs unnecessarily as their employers do not have access to expert work and health advice. The new Mayfield review offers a solution to keeping people with health issues in work and is one the occupational health community is ready to make a reality. Investing in employee health is not just a moral imperative, it is an economic necessity. Without such investment, both sickness absence and poor performance increases. This costs the economy billions and reduces profitability. An effective approach to good workplace health requires experts in work and health.
It is important that the Mayfield’s recommendations are turned into practical action, creating workplaces where employees remain productive, even when they face health challenges. Work and health experts from the occupational health profession are critical to this, offering independent, expert guidance for employees to stay in work, and return to work if they have a health issue. Helping people remain in good work is a win-win-win situation for employers, employees and for the nation.
SOM’s view is it needs to be more focused on occupational health (OH), with OH as the centerpiece of delivery, covering clinical stewardship, competency in risk management and evidence based using Professional guidelines that support dealing with challenging elements including confidentiality breaches etc. We need a clinical channel where dots are joined between health and work for more complex clinical cases.
Nick Pahl | CEO
SOM