Free ‘Health for Work Advice line’ for Norfolk and Suffolk small businesses
Small businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk now have free access to professional occupational health advice to help with individual employee health issues following the launch of a new advice line.
More than £100 billion is lost from the UK’s economy each year because of working-age ill health and sickness absence, of which up to £30-40 billion alone is estimated to be due to mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression.
A recent Government report identified a need to provide employers, particularly those in small firms, with easy access to advice on workplace health issues.
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Occupational Health department is piloting the free advice service for local businesses that employ 49 staff or less.
Occupational health nurse manager Wendy Goode said:
Employers can call the advice line on 0800 0 77 88 44.
The Department for Work and Pensions is piloting the ‘Health for Work Advice line’ for small business in a total of seven locations in England, and across Scotland and Wales.
The free advice line, delivered by NHS Plus, will run until 31 March 2011.
