Workplace Health Practices for Employees with Chronic Illness
Prof. Ian Banks Problems and bottlenecks for
ment. An individual approach
been encouraged to see an
job retention and return-to-
is needed when we want to
optometrist to examine pa-
work are related to:
keep people longer at work.
tients’ eyes and test their sight,
- A difficult access of employ-
Raising the level of health at the
ees to occupational health ser-
workplace has a positive im-
vices, especially in SMEs;
pact on the likelihood of long-
All activities are related to a
- The poor use of primary health
term absences. Royal Mail in
raising of the standard, better
care services: this is especially
the UK invested in a preven-
self-education and a better use
true in the lower income group,
tion and health promotion pro-
of existing services.
- A lack of self-care: men wait
gramme which turned out to be
The following five speakers wit-
too long to express complaints
successful in terms of reduced
nessed from the reality of job
and consult primary care ser-
sickness absence levels and
retention and return-to-work of
vices;
costs. A healthy workforce
people with a chronic illness in
- A lack of health navigation:
brings operational and finan-
Belgium.
men find it difficult to consult
cial benefits to a company.
to ensure their safety and the safety of their environment.
the correct primary care specialist.
An important part of the prevention, health promotion and
Question 1: Problems - Bottlenecks from your point of view with regard to job retention and return-to-work for people with a chronic illness? Question 2: Possible solutions - What should be done according to you/your organization to address the bottlenecks? Question 3: Your contribution - How could you/your organisation contribute to this?
Contribution to solutions can
return-to-work
be found at several levels:
concerns the individual contri-
Improvements
need
to
programmes
be
bution of patients, who are able
sought in a more integrated
to manage their abilities and
approach, with a combination
capacities.
of a better access to the occupational health services as well
Role of the European Men’s
as to the primary health care
Health Forum
services. There is a need for an
The Forum is active in capac-
integrated approach with more
ity building initiatives for their
communication between the
members, starting from the
care providers, in combination
actual needs of the members.
with better self-care and self
One of the outcomes are easy
health navigation.
to use and practical guidances on different aspects of health
Empowering patients is impor-
protection.
tant for their own wellbeing but also for the well-being of com-
Other activities are awareness-
panies and society.
raising of the members on prevention and early diagnosis,
As a consequence, workers
such as getting men - especial-
with chronic diseases need
ly low income groups - sooner
to be actively involved in the
to the (specialized) physicians.
reshaping of the working con-
Occupational groups like bus
ditions and the work environ-
drivers or crane drivers have
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