Sunday, April 14, 2024
Occupational health services are undergoing a transformation fueled by a £1.5 million innovation fund, spearheaded by the government’s commitment to combat in-work sickness and bolster economic activity leveraging cutting-edge technology and artificial intelligence.
Five pioneering projects will benefit from the £1.5 million funding allocation, aiming to enhance occupational health services tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises. This revolution is anchored in artificial intelligence and novel technological advancements, encompassing the expansion of remote services, digital health hubs, and dedicated support for Long Covid sufferers.
This initiative arrives at a crucial juncture as the number of individuals rendered inactive due to long-term sickness has surged by 735,000 since the onset of the pandemic. As part of the government’s broader strategy to reduce economic inactivity, these occupational health reforms aim to empower thousands more individuals to thrive in their workplaces.
The allocated funding will empower five selected projects to pioneer innovative approaches in enhancing occupational health services, with the ultimate goal of scaling these solutions for accessibility to small businesses, thereby facilitating their ability to support their workforce effectively.
Among the success stories, Kinseed Limited stands out, with its groundbreaking cloud-based occupational health platform, “MediWork,” designed to equip employers with powerful tools to safeguard and enhance employee health and wellbeing. Leveraging artificial intelligence and data analytics, MediWork monitors individual health trends, detects early indicators of health issues, and provides tailored recommendations to foster workplace wellbeing. This technology not only empowers clinicians to perform their duties more efficiently but also revolutionizes the approach to workplace health management.
The technological innovations fostered through this fund hold the potential to unlock opportunities for improving both work productivity and employee wellbeing. As the government intensifies its efforts to bolster health and employment support, these advancements aim to mitigate inactivity and foster a healthier, more productive workforce.
Minister for Employment, Jo Churchill MP, 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.
Pal Bhusate, Chief Executive Officer at Kinseed Limited, added:
We’re very excited to be working with cutting edge technology in AI and Cloud systems to keep people healthy and safe at work – and this fund has been absolutely critical in helping us do precisely that.
Supporting small and medium businesses in these areas is the only way that industries like ours can rapidly adapt to and get value from these incredible developments – and it’s brilliant to see such positive and active support from government to encourage that agility and innovation.
Prior to the pandemic, the UK witnessed a significant reduction in economic inactivity by over 850,000 individuals. Despite this progress, the nation’s current inactivity rate remains below the averages of G7, EU, and OECD countries. Nevertheless, a notable portion of the population, including younger cohorts, finds themselves sidelined from the workforce due to prolonged sickness, predominantly driven by mental health ailments such as depression and anxiety.
As long-term sickness emerges as the primary cause of economic inactivity among working-age individuals, the significance of occupational health services in facilitating in-work support to manage employees’ health conditions becomes paramount. Effectively addressing this issue could help mitigate the number of individuals slipping into economic inactivity.
Yet, the accessibility to occupational health services remains limited, with only 45% of British workers having some form of access. Alarmingly, an estimated 1.8 million workers reported work-related ill health in 2022/23. Recognizing this gap, the government is collaborating with businesses to harness new technologies aimed at enhancing understanding of employee health, delivering personalized support, and combatting long-term sickness, thereby fostering retention and success in the workforce.
To tackle these challenges head-on, the government has introduced comprehensive reforms, including the establishment of the WorkWell service and an additional £2.3 billion in annual mental health funding in England. These initiatives aim to empower individuals to realize their potential and access the necessary support, both financially and mentally, to thrive in the workplace.
The creation of the Occupational Health Innovation Fund and the inception of the Occupational Health Taskforce represent pivotal steps forward, augmenting the government’s overarching £2.5 billion Back to Work Plan. This holistic strategy aims to support over a million individuals, including those grappling with mental health conditions, in overcoming barriers to employment. Leveraging resources such as NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support, Restart, and Universal Support programs, the initiative endeavors to facilitate a smoother transition into and sustained participation in the workforce.
Minister for Health and Social Care, Helen Whately MP, commented:
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.
Armour Labs Limited is spearheading an initiative to develop a digital health hub tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and self-employed individuals. Their aim is to lower the barrier of entry to occupational health services by reducing costs.
In collaboration with digital healthcare providers, Armour Labs Limited intends to integrate these services into comprehensive health plans for employees across the UK. Through an online portal and forthcoming mobile application, these health plans will be readily accessible, ushering in a new era of efficiency and accessibility in occupational health support.
Aleezay Malik, Chief Executive Officer of Armour Labs Ltd, added:
Armour Labs is building the digital marketplace for employers to procure and deploy Occupational Health services that cater to their workforce’s diverse and individual needs.
Through the support of this Fund, we are now in the process of testing and rolling out our solution in the market which we expect will make Occupational Health not only more accessible and affordable for businesses, but also reduce ill health related absenteeism by 30%.
In February, the government initiated the establishment of the Occupational Health Taskforce, helmed by Dame Carol Black, aimed at enhancing employer understanding of the advantages of implementing occupational health practices in workplaces.
This taskforce is actively crafting an occupational health framework designed to assist businesses in averting job loss due to sickness and facilitating the smooth reintegration of employees into the workforce following periods of illness. Anticipated to be released this summer, this voluntary framework promises to offer invaluable guidance to businesses seeking to prioritize the health and wellbeing of their workforce
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
