Working for a Healthier Tomorrow, a recent report by Dame Carol Black, the national director for health and work, called for the public sector to lead by example in improving the health of its workforce (click here >> for the report). The UK’s National Health Service employs over 1.3 million people – one of the largest employers in the world – and on 18 June the first of 10 sites started testing a new, two-year approach to supporting the health and well-being programmes for staff delivering NHS services. This first pilot is by Rotherham PCT for 300 of staff, and a further nine sites will be launched in coming weeks.
This pilot will use a programme to support the improvement of employee health on the basis that healthy employees are less likely to be absent, be more fulfilled at work and more productive. The assessment will provide aggregated anonymised data that will enable the NHS to measure and manage the health risk of their employees.
The pilot is being provided by vielife, and involves:
- an initial on-line health and well-being assessment drive to help to identify health issues in the pilot workforces;
- an-line and off-line information for employees throughout the pilot, on a wide range of health and well-being issues;
- a Healthy Eating programme, encouraging busy staff to make good choices for themselves both whilst at work and at home;
- a Strength and Resilience programme to help staff to identify and manage pressure in the workplace and everyday life.
At the end of the first year, staff will be able to reassess themselves to see what improvements they have made. If needed, they will be able to undertake two additional lifestyle management programmes.
Source: Department of Health, 19 June 2008