Health, work and wellbeing

The importance of creating healthy working environments and looking after the health of staff was highlighted in March 2008 when Dame Carol Black presented her report on the health of the working population. The annual economic cost of working age ill-health to Britain in terms of working days lost and worklessness was estimated by Dame Carol Black to be over £100 billion.

In her report, Working for a healthier tomorrow, Dame Carol called for a number of changes which included the expansion of occupational health services and the introduction of an electronic medical certificate, or fit note, instead of the current paper based sick notes.

The Government responded to Dame Carol's report on 25 November 2008 with Improving health and work: changing lives. The report identified the NHS as having a major role in driving this work forward and endorsed the links between good work and good health.

Definition

A healthy workplace can be defined as:

• a place where health risks are recognised, and controlled if they cannot be
  removed
• a place where work design is compatible with people's health needs and
  limitations
• an environment that supports the promotion of healthy lifestyles
• a place where employees and employers recognise their responsibility for their
  health and the health of colleagues.

NHS Employers provides advice to NHS organisations and their staff on occupational health and safety, sickness absence management and staff welfare issues, contributing to the healthy workplaces agenda. We work closely with professional, public, voluntary and NHS organisations to reflect stakeholder opinion and expertise and offer the most relevant, up-to-date advice. The healthy workplaces handbook is our key publication as a result of this work.