{"id":84267,"date":"2017-09-12T16:34:26","date_gmt":"2017-09-12T16:34:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=06c7034aceb69e2d382ca9ece95bda62"},"modified":"2017-09-12T16:34:26","modified_gmt":"2017-09-12T16:34:26","slug":"press-release-improving-work-health-for-a-healthy-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=84267","title":{"rendered":"Press release: Improving work health for a healthy economy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A healthy population is the engine of a healthy economy, says Public Health England\u2019s (PHE<\/abbr>) Chief Executive.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the opening of PHE<\/abbr>\u2019s annual conference, Duncan Selbie said we must look further than the NHS if we are to ensure everyone has a fair chance of good health.<\/p>\n

PHE<\/abbr> believes that health and wealth are 2 sides of the same coin. Having a job is the key to a long, happy and healthy life.<\/p>\n

Illness among working age people costs the UK economy \u00a3100 billion a year. About 330,000 every year become unemployed because of health-related issues.<\/p>\n

For every unemployed person who gets a job there is an estimated saving to society of \u00a312,035 in a one-year period.<\/p>\n

We take an estimated 137.3 million days of sick leave and more than a third of those (\u00a346 million) are due to poor mental health and lower neck and back pain.<\/p>\n

But workplace health and wellbeing programmes such as exercise, healthy eating and stop smoking support can make a real difference. Successful programmes such as these have been found to return \u00a32 to \u00a310 for every \u00a31 spent, benefiting staff wellbeing and economic productivity.<\/p>\n

Most big employers already have some plans in place that help to improve and protect their staff\u2019s health but many small and medium enterprises (SMEs<\/abbr>) do not currently benefit from such programmes.<\/p>\n

PHE<\/abbr> and Healthy Working Futures, a workplace health provider, has set out advice for SMEs<\/abbr>, which account for 60% of private sector employment.<\/p>\n

It gives SMEs<\/abbr> a series of questions on health and wellbeing including smoking, fitness and sleep, which staff can answer anonymously, enabling them to assess the specific needs of their workforce and create tailored steps to improve their staff\u2019s health and wellbeing, based on evidence.<\/p>\n

Later this week, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB<\/abbr>) will also publish new guidelines on how businesses can improve their workers\u2019 health, with advice on physical and mental health.<\/p>\n

PHE<\/abbr> has also created a series of guidance for employers on important issues, such as musculoskeletal (MSK<\/abbr>) and mental health, impacting on employees with Business in the Community. Further advice is being developed covering issues including:<\/p>\n