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The author of a major review into how to keep people in work has warned that the UK is “heading towards an avoidable crisis” and urged employers to reduce reliance on fit notes amid the “huge” costs to them of workers’ poor health.
East john lewis The report by boss Sir Charlie Mayfield found that poor workplace health costs UK employers around £85 billion a year.
Also gave this warning Britain The country is losing about 7% due to being unable to work due to ill health gross domestic product (gross domestic product).
Sir Charlie said there is “widespread recognition that the UK is facing a quiet but urgent crisis”, with poor health now one of the biggest drivers of economic inactivity in the UK.
Their review, published on Wednesday, highlighted a culture of fear among workers over ill health, the lack of effective or consistent support systems for employers and employees in health management, and structural challenges for people with disabilities.
They have proposed a new approach where responsibility for health at work is shared between employers, employees and health services, rather than being left to the employee and the NHS.
While Sir Charlie said employers should do more to help their staff, he warned that workers must play their part.
He wrote, “Work can be hard. Failures are part of life.” Health “And work is not always easy partnering, but they are mutually reinforcing.”
Sir Charlie said that while supportive workplaces matter, “personal responsibility also matters”, as he warned that disengagement from work and potential support “leads to isolation and dependency”.
He described fit notes – sometimes known as sick notes – as “often problematic”, creating a “barrier to communication, increasing the distance between employer and employee”.
Sir Charlie said GPs were being asked to assess both a patient’s treatment needs and their ability to work, “despite a lack of occupational health training and time for sufficient detail”.
He reiterated that 93% of fit notes in England consider patients “not fit for work” and are “often” extended without any consultation.
The government has long argued that many people are being dismissed from work.
Previously published figures show that more than one in five people of working age are now out of work and not looking for work – higher than in many comparator countries – and bringing the UK employment rate to 80% would add two million people to the workforce.
800,000 more people are now out of work due to health problems than in 2019 and the review said, “Without decisive action to address this trend, projections show we are on track to add a further 600,000 by 2030”.
It said the increase in 16 to 34-year-olds with a mental health condition who are economically inactive due to a long-term illness, expected to increase by 190,000 (76%) between 2019 and 2024, is “particularly worrying”.
The review said barriers to work for disabled people are “particularly severe”, with only 53% of this group in work.
The review said the economic costs at stake are “very high”, citing losses to employers of an estimated £85 billion per year, as well as the additional burden in welfare payments and NHS demand of around £47 billion each year.
It cites “the economy-wide costs of low participation, and the human and societal costs of lost opportunities, stalled careers and reduced life chances”.
Sir Charlie said: “The UK is heading towards an avoidable crisis. Poor health has become one of the biggest barriers to growth and opportunity. But it is not inevitable.”
Among its recommendations, the review called for the adoption of workplace health provision, described as a non-clinical case management service supporting employees and line managers across the so-called healthy working lifecycle.
It says this approach, offering support and advice and early intervention, could be integrated with NHS apps and reduce or replace the need for the current fit note.
The government said more than 60 employers, including the British Beer and Pub Association, Burger King, John Lewis and Google UK, have expressed interest in becoming so-called vanguard employers to drive the holistic new approach.
This will involve a three-year phase focusing on how to address mental health at work, retain older people in work and improve the participation and retention of disabled people in work.
Sir Charlie said: “employers We are uniquely placed to make a difference where possible, to prevent health problems, support people when they arise and help them return to work.
“If we keep Britain running, everyone wins – people, employers and the state.
“That is why the action the Government is taking forward following my review is so important.
“I look forward to working with them and with employers large and small to get people into work, unlock potential and build a healthier, more prosperous Britain.”
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said Sir Charlie’s message is clear: keeping people healthy and in work is the right thing to do and is essential for economic growth.
He added: “Business is our partner in building a productive workforce – because when businesses retain talent and reduce ill-health in the workplace, everyone wins.
“That’s why we’re working to launch the employer-led Vanguard as part of a plan for transformation, boosting economic growth and opportunity across the country.”
Business Secretary Peter Kyle said: “Many more people could remain in work if they got the right support – and that’s exactly what today’s action is about.
“That’s why Keep Britain Working is bringing together the expertise of the UK’s leading businesses to help prevent ill health at work wherever possible and support those affected to stay in work.”
James Watson-O’Neill of the national disability charity Sense said he welcomed the report’s focus on encouraging employers to improve the way they support disabled staff, but warned that the government should not cut funding for the Access to Work scheme which supports disabled people into work and reiterated the need not to cut welfare benefits.
He added: “The government must also recognize that cuts to welfare benefits will only increase financial insecurity and anxiety, making it even more difficult for people to focus on finding or keeping a job.
“Real progress requires investment in support, not cuts to essential lifelines.”
The Society of Occupational Medicine also expressed support for the review’s recommendations, saying: “Helping people stay in good work is a win-win situation for employers, employees and the nation.”
Learning disability charity Mencap said it hoped the review would “not only boost the economy but also create a fairer society – helping people with learning disabilities climb the career ladder and reach their full potential”.
The Resolution Foundation think tank said the government should fast-track the three-year testing phase of the Vanguard Taskforce, “ensure the Taskforce is adequately resourced, and then move rapidly from the Vanguard phase to full deployment – including the establishment of a Workplace Health Intelligence Unit”.
The unit, as recommended in the report, will “collect and analyze data” to further provide evidence of what works, including targeted financial, operational, legal and cultural incentives.