Online Support for a Healthy Working Wales

A new Welsh Assembly Government website has been launched, providing support for businesses, GPs and individuals. Healthy Working Wales aims to promote healthy working practices, and offers advice on managing and recovering at work if any health issues arise. 

The site will combine resources delivered in partnership with the Health & Safety Executive and National Public Health Service for Wales, and will bring together initiatives including Workboost Wales, Welsh Backs and the Corporate Health Standard.

GPs

Healthy Working Wales will also host a new pilot programme providing GPs with access to online resources on health and work issues.

The programme – which has benefited from £300,000 worth of Welsh Assembly funding, will provide online support for GPs to access occupational health advice for their patients.

According to the Health & Safety Executive, 30 million working days are lost each year due to work related ill health and latest estimates of the cost of sickness absence and associated worklessness stand at £100 billion per year in the UK.

Dr Tony Jewell, the Chief Medical Officer for Wales said: "Ensuring that we are able to lead healthy working lives is as much our responsibility as our employers.

"Unfortunately, not all ill health can be prevented but we can better support people to help them stay in work. The accessibility and convenience of an information resource like Healthy Working Wales is invaluable and will provide individuals, employers and health professionals with access to advice that may help prevent long term conditions from developing.  

WEBSITE

For further information please visit the Healthy Working Wales website at: www.healthyworkingwales.com