25 May 2007 - Minister calls on employers to do more for disabled people
DWP Minister Lord McKenzie today called on employers to play their part in aiding social inclusion for disabled people. Employers play a crucial role in ensuring that disabled people are able to play a full part in society through employment by preventing ill-health and injury, and providing appropriate support in the workplace.
Speaking at a RNIB conference in London, Lord McKenzie said:
“Increasing the number of disabled people in mainstream employment has the potential to tear down the last barriers to social inclusion for disabled people. This is something the Government recognises and has committed itself to over many years.
“Just as important as getting disabled people into work, is keeping people in work and preventing them from falling out of work in the first place. Retention and rehabilitation are two of the main aims of the Government’s Health, Work and Well-being strategy. The strategy recognises that there is a lot that central government can do. But it also recognises that success requires the support, involvement and commitment of a wide range of stakeholders working together.
“Employers are particularly important. We would like to see them play their part in a number of ways. First we want them to seek to prevent ill-health or injury from occurring in the workplace. This is about sensible risk management and often involves only simple changes to working practices – for example, eye protection for employees. But we’d like to see employers go further and use the workplace as a way of improving general staff health – for example, improvements such as workplace gyms or healthy food in canteens.
“Most importantly though, we want them to develop supportive cultures that allow staff with health problems and impairments to work, making the necessary adjustments to help them do so. Mostly these adjustments will be neither as difficult nor as expensive as people think. But clearly we have an important job ahead to engage, educate and support employers.
“I believe the business case for helping people to remain in or return to work is easily made – both for Government and the private sector.”
The Health, Work and Well-being strategy is about improving the health of the working age population, preventing work related injury or illness, intervening early when health problems arise, and providing rehabilitation support. The strategy reflects the Government’s Welfare Reform agenda and its commitment to helping more people enter into, remain in, and return to work.
Notes to editors
- Lord McKenzie of Luton addressed the RNIB conference on Friday 26th May 2007 at the Intercontinental Hotel, Park Lane, London.
- The conference, ‘The case for a right to Employment Retention’, was attended by HR professionals and focused on retaining employees who become disabled or experience a disabling illness whilst in work, enabling employers to keep valuable staff and avoid recruitment and early pension costs.
- The Health Work and Well-being strategy was launched in October 2005 and is led by Dame Carol Black, the National Director for Health and Work. It aims to improve the health of the working age population, prevent work related injury or illness, intervene early when health problems arise, and provide rehabilitation support. The strategy is a groundbreaking partnership between Government (Department for Work and Pensions, Department of Health, and the Health and Safety Executive), employers, and healthcare professionals. To find out more about the Health Work and Well-being strategy please visit http://www.health-and-work.gov.uk/
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