The Institute of Public Policy Research recently published the final report from its Commission on Health and Prosperity. This highlights the need to change our health model from one of sickness to one of health creation. The old model, founded in 1948 focuses on interventions at moments of acute need. The IPPR would move to a model which encourages and incentivises better health behaviours, to keep more of us well for longer.
This makes interesting reading, particularly against the backdrop of a new government looking to shift the tide for economic growth and to deliver its agenda to ‘Get Britain Working’.
To put it bluntly, the NHS cradle-to-grave support has been successful in terms of extending life — but not so much in terms of achieving better public health and preventing ill-health, and this is where change is needed.
It appears that IPPR is preaching to the converted and that the new Labour government seemingly understands this premise, supporting a number of recent announcements. This includes Barnsley Council recent Pathways to Work report, with an ambition to create better ways to get more people into work, so that everyone has access to the benefits that good work brings.
The government has also rolled a “life saving” health check programme to workplaces across the country, making it more convenient for people to understand and to improve their cardiovascular health in particular. In this context it is also interesting to note the trial that has been underway over the past year, enabling women in Somerset to self-refer themselves to a diagnostic client for breast cancer — effectively bypassing the GPs as the gatekeeper for these tests, to see if this speeds up treatment and leads to better health outcomes.
This IPPR report very much focuses on work and the part employers can play in delivering a healthier workforce, and the government will focus on this too.
Seven out of 10 economically inactive people want to work according to the Barnsley report findings which is encouraging to hear Government will expect more of employers
in stemming the flow of workers into inactivity because of ill-health. With more than one in five working age people already out of work but not seeking a job, often for reasons of ill-health, this is vital for economic growth.
The health check pilot is also a signal of intent to prevent further increases in the number of working age people who are economically inactive due to long-term illness. It also signals that the new administration understands the impact of prevention and early diagnosis, and demonstrates a seismic shift from treatment to prevention – although it’s not clear from the government’s announcement how comprehensive the programme will be, as it refers initially to heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes but then only to cardiovascular risk.
And the breast cancer self-referral trial is an indication that government is clear on the importance of early interventions, removing the barriers to accessing a fast diagnosis and freeing up GP time.
The role of the workplace in health and wellbeing has never been more pertinent, and many employers already facilitate access to such checks and support, often via another purchase such as PMI or a group risk product, be it a group life income protection or a critical illness policy. For example, group income protection provides a comprehensive range of embedded services aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of employees, and mitigating the number of people whose health presents a barrier to work becoming economically inactive.
Employers looking to step up in this area may be surprised by what services are embedded within their employee benefits package already, which are already available, financed, resourced and ready to go now.
Employers can get ahead of the curve for boosting economic growth through the improved health of their workforce by fully utilising what’s already available in the benefits arena, rather than waiting for government/NHS initiatives to be rolled out further in due course.
For government, the message is that the group risk industry is ready, willing and able to play a part in their plans to get Britain working and reduce economic inactivity.
