A national expansion of WorkWell, a health-and-employment support service, is set to take place across England, following a successful pilot that helped more than 25,000 people stay in or return to work.
The programme aims to support up to 250,000 more people with health conditions, and forms part of the government’s wider efforts to tackle long-term sickness absence and economic inactivity.
For employers, the key point is that WorkWell is designed as an early intervention service - stepping in before health issues lead to prolonged absence or an employee leaving work altogether.
Long-term sickness remains a significant issue for businesses. Around 2.8 million people are currently out of work due to long-term health conditions, and fit notes are issued more than 11 million times a year.
How employees can access support
Participants in the programme can be referred through:
- Their employer.
- A GP.
- Jobcentre Plus.
- Local services.
- Self-referral.
Each participant receives personalised support from a Work and Health Coach. Services offered vary depending on location, but can include physiotherapy, mental health support, workplace adjustment advice for employers and ongoing health condition management.
Businesses may want to be aware of WorkWell as a referral option for staff struggling with health issues.
For the first time, government departments have set individual targets for how much they will spend with small and medium-sized businesses (SME). In total, the government plans to spend £7.4 billion a year with SMEs by 2028.
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