Group Risk Development (Grid) has called on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to include services available through workplace health and risk benefits in its new Support for Employee Health and Disability Service.
The trade body said it was “disappointed” that references to workplace health benefits were not included in a beta test of the service and will be highlighting the concerns in its response to the government.
This is despite last year the government praising insurers for the support they offer and role they play in supporting workers’ health.
It noted that where policies were accompanied by high-quality services aimed at preventing ill health and offering return to work support, insurance products “are a valuable source of support, in addition to offering a financial benefit if an employee is unable to work due to illness or injury”.
However, its follow-up £6.4m service to help employers better support disabled people and those with health conditions in the workplace only refers to occupational health in potential sources of support.
The beta version of the service was launched in October as a part of the Health is everyone’s business consultation process launched in 2019.
Employer and industry feedback needed
Grid appealed for other industry members to add their voices to the issue and urge government to rethink its approach and make businesses aware of the help available in group risk, medical and other healthcare benefits.
The body said it was “disappointed that there is no mention of group income protection and its embedded support services such as EAPs and vocational rehabilitation, as these employer-sponsored benefits offer a wealth of support to employees whilst also relieving the burden on the state.
“Grid believes they should be recognised within the new government service as being hugely beneficial tools for employers and by raising awareness of the key role these benefits can play, more employers will consider offering them and in turn, more employees will benefit.
“It is important for as many employers and companies in the industry as possible to take the opportunity to respond: weight is given to the number of responses, and the more that call for other areas to be considered the better,” it added.
OH-focus is ‘short-sighted’
On launch in October DWP said the service had been designed to give employers easy access to the advice they need to create the best environments for their staff with disabilities or long-term health issues, so that anyone from any background can start, stay and succeed in work.
The site will be constantly updated and improved over the next three years, informed by feedback given from the survey
Once fully developed, the service will also help employers understand their legal obligations, including how to make adjustments for disabled people and those with health conditions, it added.
However, Grid disputed whether it could do that in its current state, noting that the focus on occupational health as being the only tool an employer would have at their disposal was “short-sighted”.
“There are many other support services that are available for employers to use to help their employees such as HR support, employee assistance programmes, case management, vocational rehabilitation, second medical opinion services, nurse-led support, fast-track access to physiotherapy, CBT and other talking therapies, online GP services, health apps and so on.
“These might be separately purchased by employers on a stand-alone basis or made available via other benefit purchases such as group income protection and private medical insurance.”
‘Not fully equipping employers’
Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for Grid said: “The new Support with Employee Health and Disability Service needs to include much more information on the range of support available, including within group risk benefits, if it intends to ‘give employers the tools they need to empower and encourage disabled employees’ as it purports to do.
“Without this inclusion, it is lacking and not fully equipping employers with the information they need.”
Moxham added the trade body was encouraging its members and other group risk benefit advisers, providers and suppliers to echo its response to amplify and add weight to the message.
“As the site is technically in a test state, we hope there will be scope to influence the content,” she said.
“Employers too should have their say on whether they would find the service useful in its current form or whether they would find it more useful if the information was expanded to include a broader range of support options.”