Five projects are to share £1.5m to develop new ways to improve occupational health services which will eventually be made available to small firms to help them support their employees to stay in work.
The new technology developed through the Fund will help unlock opportunities to improve people’s work and wellbeing, says the government as it seeks to boost health and employment support to drive down inactivity.
Before the pandemic, inactivity in the UK had fallen by over 850,000 and while it currently remains lower than G7, EU and OECD averages, many people including those from younger generations are out of work due to long term sickness, in large part been driven by mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
With long-term sickness now the main reason people of working-age give for being economically inactive, occupational health services can help employers provide in work support to manage their employees’ health conditions and reduce the number of those becoming inactive.
However, only 45% of workers in Britain have access to some form of occupational health, with an estimated 1.8 million workers reporting work-related ill health in 2022/23. That’s why the government is working with companies to develop new technology to better understand employee health, provide tailored support and tackle long-term sickness to help people stay and succeed in work.
Minister for Employment Jo Churchill said: “Time off work due to sickness costs British business £100 billion every year. The innovative solutions developed through this funding will benefit businesses as we harness AI and technology to support a healthier and more productive workforce.
“Delivering through our Back to Work Plan and Occupational Health Taskforce, we are driving down inactivity and helping people reach their potential both in work and their daily lives.”
Minister for Health and Social Care Helen Whately said: “Every year many thousands of people take time off work – or leave work altogether – because of ill health. But at the same time, there are millions of people who are working with health conditions, often supported by occupational health services.
“We want more people to be able to benefit from occupational health support, particularly people working in smaller businesses or those who are self-employed. That’s why we’re investing in these innovative approaches to occupational health. This sits alongside our plans for WorkWell which will help people access support to stay in work, and our fit note reforms.
“A healthy economy depends on a healthy workforce. Making sure people can be healthy and stay in work is crucial for individuals, businesses and our country as a whole.”
