TAEN Comments On The Government's Response To Dame Carol Black's Recommendations For Improving Health And Work, UK

Main Category: Seniors / Aging
Article Date: 28 Nov 2008 - 3:00 PST

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Commenting on the Government's response to Dame Carol Black's recommendations in her review of the health of the working age population, Chris Ball, Chief Executive of TAEN - The Age and Employment Network, says:

"We are encouraged by the Government's positive reaction to Dame Carol's recommendations. With increased longevity and less generous pension expectations, the need to extend working lives is obvious and inescapable but ill health continues to be a major factor in early retirement. We welcome the introduction of measures that will help people to improve their health and to work for as long as they want or need. We are pleased that, for the purpose of the Government response, the definition of the working age population includes people in employment beyond state pension age.

"TAEN has stressed the importance of prompt access to occupational health and rehabilitation services for all workers, but we believe it is particularly important for older workers who are more likely than their younger counterparts to give up work completely if their health conditions are allowed to deteriorate. We are thus concerned that the proposed Fit for Work service will not be universally available until 2011 at the earliest. We are also disappointed that the Government has given no guarantee about access to the service for those on incapacity and other out-of-work benefits, a large proportion of who are over 50.

"Two evidence reviews we commissioned* found there was little research on the health and work of older people and of older women in particular. We believe there needs to be greater commitment to age and gender equality in occupational health research and workplace health interventions. We hope the creation of the new National Centre for Working-Age Health and Well-being to improve the evidence base and to develop and disseminate understanding of key issues will address this gap."

"We welcome the emphasis on helping small businesses, many of whom have limited resources, and the establishment of a fund to encourage local initiatives to improve workplace health, one of the suggestions we made in our submission to Dame Carol's call for evidence for her review." *Older Women, Work and Health: Reviewing the Evidence, TAEN/Help the Aged, 2006 Older Men, Work and Health: Reviewing the Evidence, TAEN/Help the Aged, 2008

Notes

1. Spokespeople from TAEN are available on the numbers above.

2. TAEN - The Age and Employment Network is a leading national network of 200 member organisations committed to creating an effective job market which works for people in mid and later life, for employers and for the economy. TAEN champions the contribution that age diversity in employment makes to business success and a healthy society.

TAEN