GM Health and Employment Programme Consultation Event

 

Workforce health is a key issue in helping the Greater Manchester – including Oldham – economy to increase productivity. Did you know that:

• Across Greater Manchester (GM) over half the working population (59%) have a long term health condition. There are also 236,400 people out of work and claiming benefits, and of these 64% are claiming as a result of a health condition
• The estimated annual cost of Statutory Sick pay to GM employers is estimated at £90 million and Occupational Sick pay is approaching £400million
• There is currently no effective early intervention service for small and medium sized businesses (SME’s) to prevent people with health conditions falling out of work
• 99% of GM employers are either micro or small businesses with limited or no access to Occupational Health and Employee Health and Wellbeing support
• Employers may lack awareness about legislation compliance and how to manage staff who are sick
• The NHS struggles to respond rapidly to the needs of people in work
• The current Fit note system can be ineffective both from a GP and employer perspective

Staff absence due to sickness and ill health can also affect your business productivity. The GM Combined Authority are putting a programme in place to help and they need the views of Oldham SME employers to shape the programme. The aim of the event is to actively involve small businesses in the discussion of what an occupational health type service could and should look like. Have your say!

The event will describe a proposal from the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership to offer a stay in work support service for employees of small businesses and the self-employed that may be off from work due to ill health or a health condition.

Dr Carolyn Wilkins OBE, Oldham Council Chief Executive and the GM lead Chief Executive for Population Health and Workforce Development, will set the scene and contextualise the need for this programme.

This consultation breakfast event will start at 8am and will be held at the new Maggie’s Oldham, in the grounds of the Royal Oldham Hospital. Maggie’s opened in June 2017 and provides free practical and emotional support to people living with cancer and their family and friends.  The Centre already supports between 25-40 people from the local area each day and is a warm and welcoming place, with qualified professionals on hand to offer an evidence-based core programme of support that has been shown to improve physical and emotional wellbeing.

Booking is essential as places are limited.      

Free parking is available to delegates, courtesy of Oldham Athletic FC, at the Event Centre Car Park SportsDirect.com Park, off  Hilbre Avenue, Oldham, OL2 5BL. You can park up and walk around the ground to Sheepfoot Lane and up to Maggie’s Oldham (5 mins). Alternatively, chargeable car parking is available on the Hospital's site.

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