Industry responds to Government’s ‘Get Britain Working’ white paper

Commenting on the publication of the Government’s ‘Get Britain Working’ White Paper, Peter McGettrick, chairman of British Safety Council, said, “Even before the pandemic, numbers of people out of work with long-term health conditions was on the rise, and the trend has only continued, so it is good to see this concerted attempt by the Government to support people into work and help them to remain there. Whether or not it can deliver on its promises remains to be seen, but we need a fresh approach to this serious issue. Worsening health outcomes and rising levels of economic inactivity contribute to low productivity in the UK, making it harder to deliver growth.

“We welcome the Government’s renewed focus on the link between work and health, as well as an independent review of how employers can be supported to employ people with disabilities and health conditions, and to help them to stay in work. Listening to individuals’ views and needs will be vital here, as well as to employers. Given that the health of the workforce and the nation are so inextricably linked, we would like the Government to go further and create a National Wellbeing Strategy, led by a Minister for Wellbeing, so we can put people’s wellbeing at the heart of all Government policy, especially economic growth.”

Ceri Finnegan, senior policy and public affairs manager at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), said, "The Government’s white paper is a welcome step forward. Far too many people are not benefiting from good work. This has a negative effect not only for them, but also for employers and the economy.

"Our members are occupational health and safety professionals who already enable safe and healthy work. They will be at the forefront of turning these plans into action, driving change on the ground and working collaboratively with other specialists within their businesses.

"However, we would like to see greater emphasis on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We want to ensure they have the resources to invest in prevention, early intervention and rehabilitation around occupational health, including mental health.

"Department for Work and Pensions research shows only 18% of people employed by an SME have access to occupational health services, compared with 45% of workers overall. This is significantly lower than in comparable countries.

"The Government rightly focuses on young people. But we want to ensure that older workers are not forgotten. Their skills, knowledge and experience are invaluable, not least in how they can mentor younger people entering the workforce. IOSH is keen to support the Government’s plans to ensure older workers remain in and return to work and can continue to contribute and thrive in the workplace.

"This is the start of what could be a transformative journey, one which can lead to a brighter, healthier and safer future where millions more people benefit from good work. Let’s make change happen."

"Everyone employed in the UK should have the right to a healthy workplace. We hope the announced independent review into the role of UK employers in promoting health will recommend an ambitious level of minimum support for all employees. This is especially important as our research shows that 10 million people currently lack access to any workplace health support.

"Ultimately, the Government’s ambitions to get more people into work, reduce waiting lists, and drive economic growth will depend on keeping people healthy. The white paperrecognises this, and the public health workforce stand ready to support these efforts.”

Paul Schreier, CEO of Simplyhealth said, “Poor health is one of the major causes of people being off work – and as much effort must go into preventing people from getting ill and leaving the workforce in the first place as goes into getting them back working. 

“Britain must urgently reverse the workforce sickness epidemic. A record 2.8 million are on long term sick, predicted to rise to 4.3 million people by the end of this parliament in 2029 if current trends persist. 

“We welcome today’s announcement of an independent review into the role of UK employers in promoting healthy and inclusive workplaces to increase the recruitment and retention of disabled people and those with a health condition, provide early intervention for sickness absence and increase returns to work. We encourage the government to look at workplace health solutions that provide support for existing conditions and are affordable enough to offer whole of workforce access. 

“The government must also reduce the excessive tax burdens on workplace health cover, to encourage businesses to invest in further employee health support. We encourage them to look at the previous consultations on occupational health as well as resurrecting the occupational health taskforce so that previous efforts are not lost.” 

You can view the white paper at, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/get-britain-working-white-paper