Initiatives

National Centre

The National Centre aims to strengthen the evidence base on working age health and well-being and to communicate this in an accessible way to aid Government in evidence based policy making and stakeholders in implementing that policy.

In response to Dame Carol Black’s Review, the Government established a number of key initiatives to address the challenges of improving the health and well-being of Britain’s working-age population.

The initiatives are being developed across Government, built around three key aspirations which will enable the delivery of our broader vision:

creating new perspectives on health and work
improving work and workplaces
supporting people to work

Find out more on each initiative:

NHS Health and Well-being Review

The NHS Health and Well-being Review sets out to investigate and improve the health of NHS staff, and their health and well-being provision at work.

Workplace Well-being Tool

The tool is a FREE online resource which allows employers to calculate the cost of ill health to their business and compare their results against benchmarks in other organisations.

Reforming the Medical Statement

Reforming the current medical certificate to ensure that it better informs individuals and their employers about when and how it is appropriate to support someone back to work.

Public Sector as Exemplar

Improving and promoting the public sector as an exemplar through leading on: promotion of health and well-being; prevention of illness; early intervention for those who develop a health condition; and early rehabilitation of those off work.

HWWB
Co-ordinators

Health, Work and Well-being Co-ordinators will work at a local level to promote action on the Health, Work and Well-being agenda and in a network at a national level to share best practice across England, Scotland and Wales.

Fit for Work Service

The Fit for Work Services (FFWS) Programme of Piloting will evaluate a range of locally-developed service delivery models, to find those that can effectively provide early intervention, personalised back-to-work support for employees off sick from work.

Employment advisers in the IAPT Programme

DWP is funding a number of pilots to test the value of embedding Employment Advisers within the Department of Health's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme.

National Educational Programme for GPs

The Programme aims to raise awareness of the positive links between health and work and ensure GPs are equipped to provide support and advice to patients about fitness for work issues.

Pathways Advisory Service (PAS)

DWP has been running the PAS since 2005 and expanded its reach in 2008. Jobcentre Plus Advisers working from GP surgeries provide back to work advice for patients in receipt of the Employment Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit.

Occupational health adviceline for small business

The occupational health adviceline will provide small and micro business managers with early and easy access to high quality, professional advice tailored to their needs, in response to individual employee occupational health and mental health issues.

The Health Work and Well-being Challenge Fund

The Health Work and Well-being Challenge Fund is a grant scheme of £4million available from the Department for Work and Pensions. It is a competitive scheme to fund projects that improve workplace health and welfare and is aimed at small and medium sized businesses and local partnerships.

Working our way to better mental health: a framework for action

The first ever cross-government national mental health and employment strategy will help to ensure that no one misses out on the benefits that good work can bring.