Press release 21 July 2021.
The Government published its response to the Health is Everyone’s Business consultation yesterday evening (Tues 20 July 2021). It recognises the important role that employers play, particularly making full use of the benefits within group income protection to support health and wellbeing in the workplace and helping employees remain in, or return to, work.
Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD, the industry body for the group risk sector said: “GRiD welcomes this consultation response, strongly supports the aims of reducing sickness absence and ill-health-related job loss and is pleased that the role of income protection insurance has been recognised in supporting this. The workplace has an important part to play in maintaining good health, dealing with ill health at an early stage and supporting employees to remain in work.
“We are particularly pleased to see that other services that can help to achieve the same (and other relevant) outcomes as pure/traditional Occupational Health (OH) services in reducing ill-health related job loss (such as vocational rehabilitation, case management, advice on return to work and reasonable adjustments: i.e. the types of services provided under a group income protection insurance policy) have now been included in the definition of OH. This rightly recognises that pure/traditional OH services are not the only solution available to employers in supporting employees to stay in the workplace.
“We look forward to working with government to take forward the consensus statement project – which aims to enhance employer guidance, improve employers’ awareness of the link between good work and good health, and promote the use of expert-led support services – and to continuing discussions to help government’s understanding of the different routes through which employers may prefer to access OH services.”
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For further information please contact:
Sharon Mason
SMUK Marketing and PR
smason@smuk.org.uk
Mob: 07747 611773
Land: 01252 843350
Katharine Moxham
Spokesperson for GRiD
Katharine.moxham@grouprisk.org.uk
Mob: 07887 512508
Notes for editors
About GRiD
Group Risk Development (GRiD) is the industry body for the group risk sector, promoting the value to UK businesses of providing financial protection for their staff, enhancing their wellbeing and improving employee engagement. Our membership includes insurers, reinsurers, intermediaries and those operating in (or with other interests in) the UK group risk market. Together this forms a collective wealth of experience built over many years. Under the chairmanship of Paul White (head of technical, Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing) GRiD aims to promote group risk through a collective voice to Government, policymakers, stakeholders and employers.
GRiD works with government departments and regulators involved in legislation and regulation affecting group risk benefits, and with other organisations involved in the benefits and financial protection arenas. GRiD also seeks to enhance the industry’s standing by encouraging best practice and by participating in industry-wide initiatives such as the professional qualification in group risk managed jointly with the Chartered Insurance Institute.
GRiD’s media activity aims to generate a wider awareness and understanding of group risk products and their benefits for employers and employees.
GRiD’s dedicated spokesperson, Katharine Moxham, provides expert media comment on a full range of group risk issues.
Follow Katharine Moxham on Twitter @KMoxham
