A national health at work standard should be established for all employers providing a baseline for quality occupational health provision in their organisations.
The proposal forms a central plank of a government consultation on ways to increase uptake of occupational health provision by employers – a strategy announced at the Budget earlier this year.
This joint Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) consultation aims to encourage take-up of occupational health sevices to help employees access vital mental and physical health support at work, particularly for those working in small and medium-sized enterprises.
In a separate consultation on potentially incentivising health services through the workplace, HM Treasury said it did not see a case for tax incentives for employees’ private medical insurance (PMI), but then asked respondents if they could make a case for it.
Standards and accreditation
The DWP and DHSC proposals include introducing a national health at work standard for all employers to provide a baseline for quality occupational health provision, which includes guidance, an option to pursue accreditation, and additional government support services – for example outreach workers to support SMEs to meet the standards.
It is seeking views on the factors linked to outlining a “simple and clear” baseline for quality occupational health provision as part of a wider national health standard and the most effective combination of support for employers.
Employers will be asked to share their examples of best practice occupational health provision to help inform other businesses and encourage them to provide the same for their workers.
It will also seek views on developing longer-term workforce capacity to help meet any increased demand for occupational health services in the future.
This will be done by encouraging NHS leavers or those considering a career change to pivot towards the occupational health specialism and developing a longer-term, multi-disciplinary workforce to provide occupational health services.
The consultation closes on 12 October.