Leaders of more than 30 healthcare professional bodies came together today to sign a ground-breaking agreement to advise patients of the important role work plays in health.
Evidence shows that staying in or returning to work is usually good for health and recovery. By signing the Consensus Statement, the medical profession acknowledged the research and agree to act upon it.
The Consensus Statement was signed today at the Royal College of General Practitioners in London as senior representatives of the bodies met with Dame Carol and Secretaries of State James Purnell and Alan Johnson.
Mr Purnell said: “Work is good for your health. For too long it has been automatically assumed that a return to work would be bad for your health. Today’s ground breaking agreement turns this old fashioned notion on its head.
“The health profession are recognising the role that work can play in getting people fit and healthy and it will create a crucial culture change for the welfare state.”
However, Steve Field, Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners advocated that there needed to be an overhaul of the attitudes of employers and the negative stigmas attacthed to those on long term sick leave.
He said, “some patients who are disabled or on long term sick leave would like to return to work but there can be barriers, such as poor access to services such as physiotherapy, and there must be a change in the attitude of employers and society more generally.”
Leave a Reply