§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on encouraging businesses to invest in occupational health services; and if he will make a statement. [167410]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonWith over 33 million working days lost each year, the Department's policy, together with that of other Departments, in particular, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), the Health and Safety Commission/Executive (HSC/E) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), is extremely supportive of all businesses which invest in occupational health services to improve the health of their employees. For example, in 1999, the Department launched the healthy workplace initiative to promote health in the workplace; and, in November 2001, a new occupational health service, called NHS Plus, a network of 106 national health service occupational health departments which sell a range of occupational health services to small and medium sized enterprises across England.
In addition, the Department fully endorses the cross government commitments to both reducing ill health caused by work and to help people access work espoused in the new HSC/E's "Strategy for Health and Safety 2010 and beyond". The Department also supports other Government Departments' initiatives, which encourage businesses to develop occupational health services, such as the DTI's "Partnership at Work" scheme.