Enhancing occupational health awareness

The government has recently appointed Dame Carol Black as the government’s new Occupational Health Tsar. She will lead a new taskforce with the purpose of improving employer awareness of the benefits of occupational health in the workplace.

Despite the importance of occupational health services, only 45% of workers in Britain currently have access to such provisions. Recognising this gap, the taskforce is part of the government’s drive to help tackle sickness at work and help economic growth.

The newly formed taskforce sets out clear objectives to achieve its aims, which include:

• Increasing information and visibility for employers on the benefits of good occupational health provision in retaining employees and promoting staff wellbeing.
• Empowering employers to play an active role in improving employee health.
• Ensuring the framework developed is applicable across all sectors.
• Complementing other existing health and disability workplace initiatives, including where occupational health is required by law.

Dame Carol Black emphasises the importance of its objectives, stating:

“It is a privilege to Chair the new Taskforce which will review occupational health services available to employees across businesses of all shapes and sizes and then create a framework to support better employee health and wellbeing. We will encourage employers to embrace practices that prevent or reduce ill-health related job loss.”

Although most schools use occupational health provisions, the framework will be a useful reminder of the benefits of employing occupational health services within educational settings.

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