Occupational health (OH) is good for individual, business and society. The UK faces challenges from an ageing population to obesity, diabetes and other long-term health conditions - see Health Matters webpage: Health and Work. OH helps keep people physically and mentally well at work. It maximises people’s opportunities to benefit from healthy work, not putting themselves or others at risk of harm; prevents illness caused or aggravated by work; advises about workplace health and helps rehabilitate those who have suffered injury or sickness back into work. Click on the right to see what B&Q (or see B&Q and Ageing Workers) and Price Waterhouse Coopers did (or see here).
Investing in OH is to improve the health of the UK workforce. This SOM publication outlines the value of OH services. SOM also produced a review of The Global evidence and value of occupational health. If you want to procure OH take a look at Suggested steps to take when commissioning an occupational health service and visit the SOM Find an OH Provider directory.
This personal video, "Alice's story", is worth watching - about the necessity to assess employees when they have medical conditions that can impact work. After the video there are some A-Z resources by topic.
A to Z
Asthma - Occupational asthma and work guidance here
Business in the Community has produced a varity of resources for employers e.g. covering sleep, mental health, musculoskeletal, drugs and alcohol, domestic violence and suicide here
CIPD Summary on OH
Construction - The cost of ill health at work
COVID-19 - SOM Resources and SOM Statements
Dementia - Young onset dementia and employement website here
Disability - Acas and BEIS disability hub - clear advice and guidance on disability employment rights for both employers and workers
Driving:
- Driving and riding safely for work - HSE guidance
- Driving and Occupational Health - An essential guide
Health and Safety Executive - http://www.hse.gov.uk and HSE Management Standards here. A good starting point for employers who have yet to complete risk assessments is HSE guidance Health and Safety Made Simple. The HSE Talking Toolkit (based on the stress management standards) is designed to help employers have effective conversations on how to prevent WRS with employees and then use these discussions to inform tangible actions in the workplace
Hybrid working - Acas guidance
Long COVID - FOM updated guidance for managers and employers here. SOM guidance - Long COVID and Return to Work - What Works?
Menopause - SOM resources page here.
Mental health - how to support mental health guides by SOM, and CIPD, as well as the HSE's talking toolkit and manager behaviours. Also, take a look at HSE's Management Standards and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. This covers Mental health and money at work and there are useful NHS resources at:
- Supporting mental wellbeing in the workplace - an infographic to raise awareness of the factors that affect mental health in the workplace and the impact this has on the NHS.
- Back to basics for a healthy working environment - an infographic to raise awareness of the importance of rest, sleep, nutrition and breaks for a healthy NHS workforce.
- Tackling bullying and harassment in the NHS - an infographic to raise awareness of the impact of bullying and what organisations, managers, and individuals can do to tackle it.
- Supporting mental health at work: Guide for people managers - CIPD/Mind guide, September 2022.
- Mental health at work: A guide for small businesses - Mind/FSB guidance.
Protecting your mental health and wellbeing: A brief guide for patent and trademark professionals here.
Advancing the mental health and wellbeing agenda: A guide for senior leaders in the intellectual property profession here.
Stress at work guidelines here and podcast here.
Reasonable adjustments for mental health here.
Migraine at work Q&A here.
Musculoskeletal (MSK) - MSK Health Toolkit for employers and further education institutions from SOM, the British Society for Rheumatology and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities here.
Neurodiversity:
Pregnancy and baby loss - Workplace support for employees experiencing pregnancy or baby loss (CIPD Survey report). Miscarriage Association resources: Miscarriage and the workplace, HR: information and support, Employers and managers: information and support.
Recruiting someone with a disability - Guide for line managers: Recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition
Sickle Cell Disorder - A Guide for Employers and Employees on Work, Employment and Sickle Cell Disorder (SCD)
Sleep - What might best practice look like for managing good sleep practice for night workers at work?
Stroke
- NHS: Introduction to the Vocational Rehabilitation Toolkit
- Stroke Association: A complete guide to stroke for employers
Suicide - Responding to the death by suicide of a colleague in Primary Care: A postvention framework
Terminal Illness - Supporting employees with terminal illness: A guide to workplace policies and practice
Working at home - Acas guidance: tips and advice here
Wellbeing
- OECD Promoting Health and Well-being at Work here
- What Works Wellbeing – What we know about working age and workplace wellbeing 2014-24