Transcript Work and Wellbeing Consultants Ltd Dr Adele Pilkington

Fostering Health in the workplace
- Physical
Health
Dr Adele Pilkington
27/2/2007
www.work-wellbeing.co.uk
Health at work – the reality

Cost of absence in UK > £13bn in 2005, equates
to 164 million days lost (CBI 2006)
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Self-reported work-related illness (SWI05/06)
 9.5
million days lost due to musculoskeletal disorder
 10.5 million days lost due to stress, depression, anxiety

Absence due to ‘traditional’ occupational disease
continues to decline
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www.work-wellbeing.co.uk
Work – blessing or bind?

Work is generally good for health and well-being
(Professors Gordon Waddell and A. Kim Burton Sep 2006).

A job can help people to enjoy better health and
give them greater control over their health (DH 2004).

Work and stewardship (Genesis Ch 2v15)
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21st century health strategy

Scottish Executive (1999) Towards Safer, Healthier Workplace.
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Health & Safety Executive (2000) Securing Health Together.
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Scottish Executive (2000) Our National Health.
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Department of Health (2004) Choosing Health.
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Scottish Executive (2004) Healthy Working Lives.
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Department of Health (2005) Health, work and wellbeing
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Occupational Health paradigm (Adisesh 2003)
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Health – more than an absence of disease ?

Bio-psycho-social Model (Engel, 1977)

Relationship of spirit, soul, and body

Perceived impact on advice, treatment and
hope (McCord G et al, 2004 Annals of Family Medicine)
 Ancient texts (1 Thessalonians Ch 5 v 23)
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Whitehall Studies

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Mortality of British civil servants
Lowest grades had highest mortality
Common cardiac risk factors accounted for only
40% of difference
Lack of job control a significant factor in wellbeing and absence
(Marmot et al, 1987, 1991, 1994)
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Physical Health of Office workers

“All sedentary workers...suffer from the itch, are a bad
colour, and in poor condition...for when the body is not
kept moving the blood becomes tainted, its waste matter
lodges in the skin, and the whole body deteriorates”.
(Bernardino Ramazzini, 1700)

“59% of the working population sits down all day at work
and almost 50% refuse to leave their desks, even for
lunch. Those who are seated most of the day could be
most prone to back problems." (BCA October 2006)
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Improving health at work
Lifestyle factors
 Safe and supportive work environment
 Work-life balance
 Supportive social networks
 Effective rehabilitation after illness
 Holistic health policy and strategy
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www.work-wellbeing.co.uk
Sources of Information

World Health Organisation www.who.int/occupational_health/
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Health, work and wellbeing Strategy
www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2005/health_and_wellbeing.pdf
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Workplace Health Connect www.hse.gov.uk/workplacehealth
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HSE Better Backs and MSD campaign www.hse.gov.uk/msd
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Scottish Physical Activity & Health Alliance ww.paha.org.uk
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Healthy Working Lives (SHAW and Safe & healthy
working) www.healthscotland.com
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www.work-wellbeing.co.uk
Health, work and wellbeing Strategy
 Engage
stakeholders - national debate on
occupational health (OH) and well-being
working lives – encouraging healthy
workplaces, improved OH provision
 Improving
for working age people – improved
support for employers, and rehabilitation
 Healthcare
 Lead
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by example – Public sector as ‘exemplars’
www.work-wellbeing.co.uk