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Briefing on Helping Women Thrive in Work

Helping women thrive in work: making women’s and reproductive health a key priority

The CIPD and SOM have created the open letter below to Alison McGovern, MP regarding Women’s Health at Work.    If you wish to sign the letter please contact Claire Mathys on claire.mathys@impactpolicy.co.uk;

Alison McGovern MP
Department for Work and Pensions Caxton House
Tothill Street
London SW1H 9NA

Dear Alison McGovern,

Women’s and reproductive health in the workplace

March 2025

We are writing to you about the need for Government action to help women thrive in the workplace through better support of their health or reproductive challenges, which not only affect their wellbeing but holds back economic growth.

Many women drop out of the workforce or are held back from career development due to health or reproductive issues, such as menopause transition, fertility challenges, pregnancy and baby loss, and musculoskeletal disorders and mental health issues which disproportionately affect women. Yet this is not inevitable and much can be done to improve support for women in the workplace, increasing economic participation as well as reducing gender inequality.

The NHS Confederation report, Women’s Health Economics: investing in the 51%, highlights the significant economic impact of neglecting women’s health. It highlights that inadequate support for conditions like menopause, endometriosis, and severe period pain costs the UK economy nearly £11 billion annually and unemployment due to menopause symptoms alone results in a £1.5 billion annual loss, with around 60,000 women affected.

However, with supportive employer policies, appropriate healthcare and better societal awareness many of the problems can be tackled, keeping more women in productive work in which they can thrive and progress.

We, the undersigned, are committed to playing our part in this mission and ask you to take action by:

1. Launching a review of women’s and reproductive health in the workplace to identify the economic opportunities for strengthening support, guidance and enforcement of current regulations, followed by an action plan;
2. Initiating a high-profile campaign to motivate and give confidence to employers to develop working environments that provide understanding, flexibility and occupational health support for women’s health issues across the life course; and
3. Widening access to occupational health services for those in and out of work to support people to remain in, or return to, appropriate work in which they can manage their health conditions.

These actions would help to increase the economic participation of women and further the Government’s ambitious growth agenda and 80% employment target, opening up new opportunities for women so they can manage their work and health and thrive in the workplace.

We would be delighted to meet with you to discuss this further and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,
[names of Parliamentarians, logos of organisations]

Attached is the Council’s response to the Get Britain Working White Paper.

20241213 Council for Work and Health statement on the Get Britain Working White Paper November 2024

12 December 2024

ACPOHE:   Fit Note resources developed by ACPOHE

(October 2023)

NEW Fit note resources to help awareness of the importance of supporting patients back to work

ACPOHE is pleased to showcase our new set of resources, available to download from our Work & Health Learning and Development Hub –  (click Free Guest Access and go to Resource Library).

There is more information below, and all resources are on the ACPOHE website:  https://acpohe.csp.org.uk/content/new-fit-note-resources-help-awareness-importance-supporting-patients-back-work

Resources include:

1. A 6-minute podcast to outline our new resources and why they are important
2. A video (to play on screen in GP reception waiting rooms) to help manage patient expectations of ‘fit note’ certification.  This is 1 minute in length.
3. A 2-minute video aimed at increasing awareness to GPs of the role of FCPs, particularly around work conversations and completion of the fit note. Please share this with the GPs you work alongside.
4. An 8-minute training video, which is a reminder of the importance of keeping people at work to help health outcomes (aimed at GPs, FCPs, other healthcare workers in primary care.
5. Infographics to patients on what is the fit note, and how to get the most out of your fit note (ideal for notice boards within GP practices).
6. Infographics to healthcare professionals on completing the fit note (a quick easy reminder to all involved in completing the fit note).
7. Completed fit notes, with audio presentation on a variety of case studies.

The Faculty of Occupational Health Nursing and the National School of Occupational Health have launched a statement on Occupational Health Qualification and Titles so as to clarify the various education pathways and qualifications for occupational nurses, as well as the commonly used titles and their significance.

View the statement on our website https://www.fohn.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Occupational-health-qualifications-and-titles.pdf

If you have any feedback then please contact either Christina Butterworth chair@fohn.org.uk or Janet O’Neill janet.oneill@hee.nhs.uk

http://www.fohn.org.uk/

27 September 2023

The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) today released the first in-depth study into the impact of ill-health on the UK’s working population, “Understanding Recent Trends in Ill-Health Driven Fallout from the UK Job Market”.

Launched following Occupational Health Awareness Week (18-24th September), the report analyses data trends – providing a comprehensive picture of the current health challenges experienced by the UK workforce.

 Key findings include:

• Long-term sickness in women across all age groups has been rising since 2014, with women becoming economically inactive at a higher rate than men.
• An increase in economic inactivity in young men, aged 16 to 24, with sharp increases in mental health issues.
• Occupations with a low ability to work from home are more likely to see people leave the workforce due to long-term sickness.
• Pressures in health and social care delivery, including the impact of COVID-19, has led to backlogs for treatment and worsening health outcomes.
• The UK has an ageing population, high rates of excess weight, and alcohol consumption and a legacy of smoking, resulting in long-term physical and mental health problems.

Of the 41.6 million people in the UK of working age (age 16-64), 2.5 million (1 in 16 people) are inactive due to long term sickness. The historically high number of people off work, long-term sick, remains an immediate and pressing concern for the Government. More than 11 million people are living with long term conditions that can affect their ability to work.

Of the 4 million people living with mental health conditions only 2 million are employed. Nearly 60 percent of people who are economically inactive and left work in the last two to three years have a work limiting health condition.

The analysis demonstrates how occupation, gender, and disability affects getting back to work. Occupational health (OH) provision is a key solution to this issue. SOM is calling for comprehensive OH coverage, with only 50 percent of workers currently accessing OH.

Government steps have been taken, including in the Spring Budget, to support OH so those with health conditions can continue work, but more must be done to keep people healthy at work and reverse these trends. New Government consultations on OH and Tax incentives on occupational health (OH) are welcomed and are currently open.

SOM hopes that publishing this data will support policy conversations to achieve universal OH coverage.

SOM CEO Nick Pahl said: “The historically high number of people off work long-term sick remains an immediate and pressing concern for the Government. Without investment in occupational health, these figures will continue to get worse.

“This report helps us better understand the patterns and causes of ill-health driven fallout from the UK job market. It’s vital that we understand why the UK is seeing a rise in inactivity rates compared to other OECD countries.

“We need to understand what the catalysts are, the drivers of fallout, and what factors contribute to preventing people return to work.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For more information, contact:

Alan Grant (Account Manager, Orbit Communications) – alan.grant@orbit.scot / 0783 320 9171

Rachel Goddard (Account Director, Orbit Communications) – rachel.goddard@orbit.scot / 0770 216 9485

About SOM

The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) is the organisation for healthcare professionals working in or with an interest in occupational health. It is concerned with:

• the protection of the health of people in the workplace
• the prevention of occupational injuries and disease
• related environmental issues.

SOM stimulates research and works with the government, the healthcare community, health charities and other bodies to promote a healthier workforce. It also acts as the voice of occupational health (OH), responding to consultative documents and media enquiries. A national leader in providing continued professional development and education for all healthcare professionals working in OH, it is a forum for the exchange of ideas, best practice, and networking opportunities.

Visit www.som.org.uk for more information.

The BOHS has published a report on Tackling Scotland’s Workplace Ill-Health Crisis.  The view the report, go to:

Tackling Scotland’s Workplace Ill-Health Crisis