RCM comments on NICE draft guidance on Workplace health

on 28 May 2019 Caring For You campaign NICE - The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Wellbeing Of Women

NICE has issued draft guidance on workplace health that focusses on long-term sickness absence and capability to work. This is a partial update to the 2009 guideline on workplace health (PH19). The new recommendations emphasise that health and wellbeing should be a core priority for all organisations, and employers should provide a caring and supportive work environment.

Commenting on the guidance Gill Adgie, Regional Head North at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), said: "This is welcome guidance and supports efforts by the RCM to improve workplace health and wellbeing for its members through its Caring For You campaign. 

"Workplaces must provide the best possible working environment to support our health professionals to deliver the best possible care. What is clear is that if workplaces do not look after their staff their health and wellbeing suffers, and the care they deliver suffers. 

"There should be a more proactive role in making the workplace the very best it can be in relation to supporting staff to be healthy at work. It should also be a holistic approach to health and wellbeing. This must also include financial wellbeing with staff being paid fairly for the work they do.

"Workers' health and wellbeing and high quality care go together and both are equally important. That is why it is so important to staff and resource our maternity services to meet the demands they are facing.

"Employers should have robust policies and procedures in place to support their staff. This means good leadership to ensure that those policies and procedures are implemented. It also means training and development for managers to ensure they feel equipped in their role to support staff through sickness absence with compassion and kindness."

The draft guidance - Workplace health: long-term sickness absence and capability to work (Update) - can be viewed at https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10090/consultation/html-content

For more information on the RCM's Caring for You Campaign see https://www.rcm.org.uk/supporting/getting-help/caring-for-you/. 

 

Note to editors

The RCM is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team. We provide workplace advice and support, professional and clinical guidance and information, and learning opportunities with our broad range of events, conferences and online resources. For more information visit the RCM website at https://www.rcm.org.uk/.

 

ENDS