1. Health is “Your Business”

2. Business Overview 557,00 people live in Worcestershire 273,000 (16-64) people employed in Businesses in Worcestershire, 287,000 are economically active. 26,000 businesses located in Worcestershire

3. Proportion of Businesses by Size band and employees

4. Healthy Lives, Healthy People working with Business to Improve Public Health Context – A partnership between government and business that balances proportionate regulation with corporate responsibility Recognition of the role that business has to play in supporting Health and Wellbeing. 9.8 million working days were lost due to ill health in 2010.Potential savings of 100 billion in reducing working age ill health. It s objectives are to create the right framework to work in partnership for enterprise growth and job creation. DOH will work in partnership with employers through public health responsibility deal – Dame Carol Black is heading up the work related Network set up to identify pledges for action. Regulation “fit for work”. New equality act came into force on October 1. Government is proposing to set up an “investors in health standard, linked to Investor in People and to seek to prioritise the availability of services, including CBT and physiotherapy, to those that sign up to the standard Larger business support for SME’s to implement health and wellbeing strategies.

5. Business Baseline 88% of employers agree that there is a link between work and health and wellbeing. 56% of Businesses agree that there are financial benefits to investing in Physical and Mental Wellbeing. Occupational Health involvement is rated as most effective for long term absence. Return to work interviews and trigger mechanisms to review attendance are cited as effective to both long term and short term absence.

6. Business Challenges and Barriers Recovery from recession – Financial pressure, “absenteeism” has fallen “presenteeism” has increased. Mental Health and stress related issues increased. Perception of Health as a “perk” or “benefit in kind”. Reinforced by government, individuals are taxed on health related schemes. Businesses focus on bottom line and Growth, job creation is a bi product of this, so business doesn’t generally plan mixed work forces,” its best fit to Job.” Business is not convinced that Fit for Work will reduce absenteeism, although there is a high level of awareness. Business is not particularly aware of the challenges, targets and priorities of the health sector. SME issues are different to larger businesses, “Litigation big issue for ”SME’s, “Corporate Culture” issue for larger businesses. Cultural issues across all sizes of business, 51% of employers believe that employees don’t want them to intervene in health related issues. Culture an issue in companies with a poor record of health support

7. Business Solutions Proactive approach to mixed work force planning. A segmented approach to public Health Promotion – considering the known issues in different business segments large, SME, Service and non service Sectors. Address, knowledge gaps via Health and Wellbeing Networks, skills and management development- ensure that focus is not just on the regulatory requirements of Health and safety, but on the wider economic benefits. Support business to understand the local Health challenges and priorities Local collaboration between voluntary, Health and Private sector including representative organisations such as the Chamber to develop local strategies that are effective for business. Best Practice – “Wellness Works”

8. Business Solutions Develop key measures that link health priorities to what business understands, Pandemic – Business Continuity planning, self esteem confidence – culture, values, people centric. Support business to assess impact of improvements. Agree the right approach to standards is “Investors in Health” standard the right approach. Policy -Lobby government to ensure that systems don’t deter business from investing in the health of its workforce. Localism should provide the flexibility to deliver innovative and focussed services based on the challenges that communities face. Academia links, transnational funds for research, local medical tech companies. Collaboration between GP consortia and business to address perceived and real barriers.

9. Conclusion What Can Health Do to Support Business? What can Business do to support its workforce? What can individuals do to support themselves?