ABOUT US

Hessington Health have been providing Occupational Health services to a variety of sectors in the UK for over 15 years. We are proud to offer our clients a bespoke service by better understanding their individual needs. Some clients require a full end-to-end Occupational

Health solution to meet corporate governance requirements and others require a specific solution. Irrespective of your needs we are here to help craft a bespoke solution for you.

WHY SICKNESS MANAGEMENT MATTERS

The UK’s economic cost of sickness absence is over £100 billion a year. There are legislative requirements for employers to look at the health and wellbeing of their workforce. This also comes with compliance challenges, especially for small to medium-sized businesses. Hessington Health will assist your organisation through this process by offering employees wellness screening.

Wellness in the workplace is important. The HSE estimates that muscular disorders were responsible for 9.5 million lost working days in 2005/6, and 13.8 million working days were lost in 2006/7 due to work-related stress. Stress and lower back pain cost the British economy £3.7 billion and £5 billion per year respectively.

According to the Confederation of British Industry, sickness absence can cost roughly £495 per employee per year, which can be a high cost for a small to medium-sized enterprise.

In 2022, the ONS estimated 185.6 million working days were lost due to sickness absence and injury in the UK.3
In 2023, CIPD reported the highest sickness absence rate for over a decade with the average absence rate per employee being 7.8 days.4

We have extensive experience with assisting companies in dealing with the problem of sickness absence. Our statistics show that for the average company, we have reduced the average number of sick leave days per employee from 8 days a year to 1.8 days a year

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR SCHOOLS

One of our Key differentiators in the Occupational Health sector is that we specalise in providing Occupational Health services to the Education Sector.

At Hessington Health, we specialise in delivering comprehensive Occupational Health services tailored to the unique needs of the education sector. Our expert team is dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of educators and support staff, ensuring a safe and productive working environment.

Our core services include:

  • Advising HR on pre-employment health questionnaires.
  • Prompt OH assessment within 7 days via video conference or telephone for urgent cases.
  • Face to face Occupational Health assessment within 2 weeks of referral (for over 90% of referrals).
  • Experts in managing longterm, complex sickness absence.
  • The provision of robust and leagally compliant report which will be evidence based and appropriately referenced.
  • Legally compliant advice and guidance on your obligations under the Equality Act 2010, with clear instructions on reasonable adjustments.
  • Joint ownership in monitoring cases with HR when required.
  • Promoting wellbeing within the school enviroment through webinars and lectures.
  • Workplace Drug testing
  • Flu vaccinations
  • Wellbeing digital solutions

NEW PROPOSED EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS (2024)

The Labour Party’s Employment Rights Green Paper published on the 10th October 2024, outlines a series of proposed reforms designed to enhance worker rights and improve employment conditions in the UK. It focuses on addressing inequalities in the workplace, empowering employees, and strengthening labour protections. It set to revolutionise how businesses approach worker health and safety.

Key Changes in Employment Law

1. Mental Health and Stress Management: The Labour Party is committed to treating mental health on par with physical health. This legislative push emphasizes a proactive approach to mental well-being in the workplace, stressing that employers must recognize stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues as critical factors in workplace safety and productivity. Employers will need to review current health and safety policies, as these now must include mental health provisions (Green Paper, p.12).

2. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Reform: Labour intends to raise Statutory Sick Pay and make it available to all workers, including those currently excluded due to low wages or self-employment. This is a pivotal change, meaning that businesses must ensure robust mechanisms for monitoring and supporting workers who are off sick, particularly for longterm conditions, both physical and mental (Green Paper, p.7).

3. Sickness Absence: The proposal stresses the importance of addressing sickness absence holistically, incorporating both physical and mental health issues into return-to-work strategies. A failure to comply with these new standards could leave employers exposed to claims related to unfair dismissal, discrimination, or workplace safety breaches (Green Paper, p.11).

4. Rights from Day One: Labour’s proposal to extend basic worker rights from day one, including sick pay and
unfair dismissal protections, shifts the responsibility onto employers to provide immediate, comprehensive health and safety coverage. This includes addressing not only immediate physical health concerns but also supporting workers facing chronic or emerging health issues, such as long COVID (Green Paper, p.7).

CHALLENGES FOR HR MANAGERS

These updates mean HR managers will face increased responsibilities in navigating complex legal requirements while maintaining a healthy, safe, and productive workforce. Key challenges include:

  • Ensuring compliance with the broadened definition of health, which now fully integrates mental well-being.
  • Updating policies to meet the requirements of SSP reforms, ensuring that employees are well-supported during sickness absence.
  • Proactively managing long-term health conditions and return-to-work processes, particularly in light of dayone rights for workers.
  • Keeping pace with legislative changes that require real-time adjustments to employment contracts and
  • Occupational Health provisions.

WHY PARTNERING WITH HESSINGTON HEALTH LTD IS ESSENTIAL

Hessington Health Ltd is uniquely positioned to help businesses navigate these evolving challenges. Here’s how we can support HR managers:

1. Comprehensive Mental Health Support: With the Labour Party’s emphasis on mental health in the workplace, our team of mental health specialists can help you develop, implement, and monitor mental health strategies tailored to your workforce. We provide early intervention services, stress management programs, and ongoing support to reduce absenteeism related to mental health issues.

2. Sickness Absence Management: We specialize in handling both short-term and long-term sickness absence, ensuring compliance with new legislation and supporting employees’ return to work. Our Occupational Health assessments are designed to identify the root causes of absenteeism, offering tailored solutions that not only meet legal obligations but also enhance workforce productivity.

3. Day-One Rights Compliance: The introduction of day-one rights requires a shift in how businesses handle new employees. Hessington Health provides bespoke Occupational Health assessments to ensure that workers are fit for work from day one, safeguarding both employees and employers from potential health-related disputes.

4. Legal and Regulatory Updates: As these changes unfold, staying informed and compliant with employment law isessential. Hessington Health ensures that your health policies and procedures are always up to date, mitigating risk and ensuring that you meet all legal requirements under the new framework.

HR managers must prepare for these changes now to avoid legal exposure and ensure their workforce remains healthy and engaged. Hessington Health Ltd
offers a strategic partnership that not only helps you comply with the new laws but also fosters a healthier, more productive workforce.

By integrating Hessington Health’s expertise into your HR strategy, you’ll be better equipped to handle the complexities of mental and physical health in the modern workplace. Let us guide you through these challenges, ensuring that your organisation thrives under the new legal landscape.

SCHOOLS WE LOOK AFTER AND TESTIMONIALS

TESTIMONIALS FROM SCHOOL

Dr Rai and his team have been wonderful in supporting our school with employee health and well-being.
Their timely response to referrals and expert knoweldge when providing robust reports with clear advice and recommendations have been integral to making our employees fell supported whilst at work or returning from a period of absence.
The team work to a high standard and provide all the necessary referral forms and letters that comply with our legal requirements and governance. This allows us to feel reassured we are meeting our employer obligations.
Dr Rai and his team are always accomodating to meet the needs of the School and employees by arranging telephone, vidoe or in-person consultations.
We very much value our partnership with HH and
would recommend them to any school/business.

HR Business Partner
Haberdashers School Elstree

We have been working with Hessington Health for our Occupational Health needs for last year and the experience has been invaluable compared to other providers that we have used previously. Dr Rai provides unparalleled support tailored specifically for the education community.

He has been instrumental in managing complex case referrals and offering invaluable advice on our legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010.

His willingness to support the HR Team and members of the Senior Team through consultations is a unique and highly beneficial service that has helped us navigate uncertain cases with confidence.

Moreover, his prompt and efficient handling of telephone assessments, video calls, in-person assessments and onsite DSE assessments ensures that we receive timely and effective support. The robust and clear reports he provides have been critical in guiding our decisions.

We highly recommend Hessington Health to any educational institution seeking reliable and comprehensive Occupational Health services.

Kelly-Marie Madden-Giles | HR Manager
North London Collegiate School

Hessington Health’s services are highly recommended. The level of support Dr Rai provides to both the School and our staff has been outstanding. Dr Rai provides trusted, tailored and comprehensive assistance to support the health and wellbeing of our staff

Alina Ghioc | Head of HR
RMS for Girls

I have worked with Hessington Health for over 5 years and have always find the support and advice punctual and supportive having a fine line between supporting the needs of both employees and and the business. The advice is pragmatic with clear understanding of roles and responsibilities.

I have welcomed the opportunity to be able to speak with Dr Rai for confidential advice.

Ben Taylor | Director of HR
Francis Holland Schools Trust

I have used the services of Hessington Health over the past 2 plus years and I have found their support very apt and detailed. They listen to your concerns/needs and they ensure that their services are properly tailored to meet those needs and guide you through to a successful outcome. Dr Rai has been very patient, prompt and supportive whenever I’ve had to consult with him. His knowledge and expertise is outstanding!

Kechi Abia | HR Manager
Queenswood School