I remember the first time a patient told me they had lost their job because of a health issue that could have been managed. With the right support in place they could have maintained their career, reaping the many benefits of employment. It stuck with me — and has shaped so much of what I have done since.
As a doctor who has worked in primary care, with occupational health expertise, I have seen how closely work and health are linked. I have also seen how often we miss the opportunity to step in early and make a difference.
That’s why I’m really encouraged by the WorkWell pilots announced last week by DHSC. They feel like a genuine shift. A chance to join things up properly and support people in a more human, effective way.
A joined up approach
The WorkWell programme – being piloted initially in 15 areas – seeks to support disabled people and those with health conditions. It uses a joined-up approach, bringing together organisations and local and national levels to provide tailored support to local communities. It provides locally designed and delivered low-intensity work and health assessments, triage and integrated referrals. This enables early access to support to help people stay in work or to swiftly return if they fall out.
At Maximus, we already do a lot in this space — through our delivery of employability programmes (such as the Restart Scheme and the Work and Health Programme) and functional assessments. We’ve got the experience, the clinical teams, and the scale. But more importantly, we care about getting this right. About designing support that actually works for people.
As a trusted partner to government, we have been involved in the wider discussions stemming from the Pathways to Work Green Paper. We are passionate about shaping the national conversation on work and health — and how services can better support people to thrive in both.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been speaking with colleagues across the system including those at the Society of Occupational Medicine and there’s real shared momentum behind this.
“The WorkWell pilots offer a pivotal opportunity to embed health more deeply into working life. Their success depends on drawing fully from the breadth of clinical expertise — from functional assessors to occupational health consultants — through a coordinated, tiered model that supports people early, in ways that are both effective and sustainable.” – Dr Lanre Ogunyemi (Former President of the UK Society of Occupational Medicine)
Final thoughts
We support the pilots. We want to see them succeed. And we’d love to play a positive role in what comes next. Whether that’s helping to shape delivery, supporting systems, or sharing what we have learned.
If we are serious about bringing work and health into the same conversation, this is the time to do it.
