RCP measures trusts' progress with NICE public health guidance

In 2010 the RCP’s Health and Work Development Unit (HWDU) – a partnership between the RCP and the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM) – measured how far NHS trusts across England had progressed with implementing the NICE public health guidance for the workplace. The audit covered areas such as obesity, mental wellbeing and management of long-term sickness absence.

Implementation of the NICE recommendations benefits organisations by improving staff health and wellbeing, leading to better productivity, improved patient outcomes and increased financial savings.

Phase one of the Staff Health Improvement Project involved interviewing 22 trusts about their approach to successfully implementing the guidance. The interim report and summary describes the findings from those interviews, including a description of enablers and barriers to implementation and a summary of the key initiatives that have been put in place.

The summary interim report is aimed at HR Directors and board members with responsibility for staff health and wellbeing. The full interim report is aimed at health and wellbeing implementers.

Phase two of the project will involve meeting with 40 trusts that have made less progress in implementing the NICE guidance. The lessons learnt from phase one trusts will be shared and an action planning session will be offered to support these trusts to develop and implement an effective health and wellbeing strategy.

The Staff Health Improvement Project final report is expected in November 2012 and will include a description of key enablers and barriers to implementing the NICE public health guidance for the workplace, as well as examples of interesting practice gathered from the trusts involved.

For further information, please contact Hannah Bristow, Clinical Standards communications officer, on +44 (0)20 3075 1447 / 07584 303 784 or email Hannah.Bristow@rcplondon.ac.uk