Almost half of the UK workforce lacks access to workplace healthcare, including winter flu vaccinations and cardiovascular disease checks, a report has found.
The analysisby the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), looked at data from the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (DBEIS) and found that more than 10 million UK workers are unable to access services , including basic facilities. health checks, vaccinations and smoking or weight loss support provided by their employer.
The report shows that the current UK workplace health system could further exacerbate existing health inequalities, as people in lower paid sectors, such as hospitality and agriculture, are even less likely to access health protection interventions at work.
A common type of health check used by employers is an NHS-run program that checks for signs of conditions such as cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
The document calls on the government to establish a national health and work standard that sets a minimum level of support to which workers should be entitled. It says that encouraging better wellbeing and health practices in the workplace would help reduce the economic costs of ill health, estimated to be around £100 billion per year.
William Roberts, the chief executive of the RSPH, said: “We are at a critical time for the health of our country. Millions of people leave the labor market due to poor health. It costs us tens of billions every year. It also puts extra pressure on our healthcare system, causing people to languish on waiting lists.
“The Labor Rights Act is a big step in the right direction, but we need to go further and faster. We spend a large part of our adult lives in and around the workplace. We need to think about how we use our workplaces to build health, keep people healthy and prevent people from getting sick.
“As it stands, our workplaces are exacerbating health inequalities. This means that millions of people who would benefit most from healthcare support in the workplace are missing out. We know companies want to do more to create healthy workplaces and support their employees. This report provides a clear and actionable set of recommendations that will have a real impact if implemented by policymakers.”
The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.