Labour urged to create ‘national occupational health service’ | Work & careers

The government of Keir Starmer has been invited to create a new “national professional health service” funded by a sample of 2 billion pounds sterling on the largest British employers to repair an unshakable crisis driven by poor health.

While the work is fighting to lower the record levels of long-term disease by preventing millions of people without work, the Fabian Society argued that a universal At-Work health service could help keep more people in a job.

Funded by the introduction of an element of health with incoming growth and skills tax – which should replace the apprenticeship tax – the system would remove the levels of incoherent professional support patchwork now provided by employers.

In a new report, the Thinktank argued that the largest tenth of companies should pay to help finance occupational health services for employers of all sizes, which are delivered by private suppliers.

Ministers are pushing to increase employment and fighting against the rise of economic inactivity – when adults of age opening are neither in a job nor looking for one.

More than 9 million people aged 16 to 64 are economically inactive. For almost 3 million, the main reason is long -term disease, in a crisis caused by an increase in mental health problems, especially for young adults.

Sir Charlie Mayfield, the former boss of John Lewis, was responsible for writing options as part of a historic examination in the name of the government, which should deliver his final report this fall.

Mayfield said he had greeted the Fabian Society report. “Their diagnosis of the situation and the impact he has, resonates and reinforces many conclusions of the work examination of Great Britain,” he added.

However, any proposal based on employers for a greater financial contribution could risk provoking a reaction from the bosses, because Rachel Reeves is under pressure before his fall budget.

Companies warned the chancellor against the announcement of new tax increases on November 26, in the midst of increasing concerns concerning the force of the economy and, as tax increases in its first fall budget have reached jobs and growth.

However, the Fabian Society report – entitled “Nye’s Lost Legacy” after the 1945 Labor Health Secretary of Labor, Aneurin Bevan, who directed the creation of the NHS – said that a new system would be positive for employers and the economy as a whole.

In a study supported by the union in unison, he said that the repetition of efforts to keep workers in a job that could otherwise risk abandoning the labor market due to poor health would be the best way to fight economic inactivity.

Christina Mcanea, the secretary general in unison, said: “The establishment of a national system to stimulate the economy is obvious. It is a victory for workers, their employers and the British economy as a whole. ”

Earlier this year, the PWC accounting firm reached similar conclusions after examining 4,000 workers and businesses, in a study calling for businesses and the government to develop a stronger occupation health system.

Support is designed to help prevent occupational health problems and support sick workers. But only 45% of British workers have access to occupational health through their employer, according to the report.

Sasjkia Otto, author of the report and principal researcher of the Fabian company, said that the government had a “generation opportunity” to stimulate support for occupational health. “Many employers spend a lot of money trying to keep their workforce healthy. But the failing occupational health system of the United Kingdom means that they do not see their return on investment. ”

A government spokesman said: “We take measures to bring back Britain to health and work by giving people the skills and opportunities they need in the context of our change plan.

“Our record of 3.8 billion pounds sterling in employment support is accompanied by our plan to make Great Britain work by offering a youth guarantee to bring young people to training or to work, to combat inactivity and to revise jobs.”