Morning, Thursday, 3rd September 2026
Online
This conference will examine next steps for supporting health in the workplace. Planned discussion will focus on priorities set out in the Government’s Keep Britain Working: Final report, alongside measures being implemented through the Employment Rights Act 2025.
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to discuss how proposals aimed at reducing economic inactivity linked to ill health can be taken forward in practice, alongside key issues for implementing new employment rights, and the future strategic policy approach for delivery. Attendees will consider what is likely to be needed to translate policy intent into practical changes in workplace support, including in the context of the Government’s ambition to increase the UK employment rate to 80%.
Return to work, employer responsibilities & SME support
The agenda considers practical options for supporting faster recovery and return to work. This includes workplace approaches to promoting health, and the Keep Britain Working report’s emphasis on closer collaboration between government, employers and health services. It will be an opportunity to discuss the increasing role of employers in health prevention and retention going forward, and addressing delivery challenges around cost, enforcement and professional integration.
Measures for supporting SMEs and smaller organisations to provide appropriate adjustments, rehabilitative support and managerial training will be discussed. We expect this to include the sufficiency of existing and proposed forms of support - such as guidance, advisory services and links to health provision - and approaches to addressing cost, capacity and administrative pressures as expectations are applied across different types of organisation. The delivery of NHS health checks in the workplace will also be considered, including practicalities for implementation, uptake and integration with existing services, alongside issues around employer capacity, data handling and how effectiveness in supporting earlier identification of health risks and informing preventative support might be assessed.
Healthy Working Lifecycle, Vanguard Phase & system coordination
Discussion will look at the role, remit and early lessons from the Government’s work and health Vanguard Phase, including the practical experience of participating employers, and how this might inform proposals for a Healthy Working Lifecycle framework and a potential future national employer standard. Delegates will consider questions around the effective integration of clinical and allied health expertise within the Vanguard, alongside potential tensions between emerging voluntary standards and statutory duties set out in the Employment Rights Act 2025.
The role of the health system and frameworks for coordination with employers will be discussed, drawing on latest evidence and data from delivery of work and health support services. Sessions will look at opportunities for neighbourhood health centres to improve return‑to‑work pathways and provide more integrated and accessible support. Attendees will consider the way forward for effective implementation of reform, including questions for governance, resourcing and cross‑sector coordination - as well as what might be learned from previous UK initiatives and international case studies when considering next steps.
The future for fit notes and potential options for enhancing this system in to a more effective support mechanism will be discussed. Delegates will also consider the use of health data appropriately and effectively to link clinical outcomes with employment outcomes, including the role of emerging initiatives such as the Health Data Research Service.
Implementation, employer duties & workforce inclusion
Further sessions will consider duties placed on employers by measures in the Employment Rights Act - including changes to statutory sick pay and other day‑one employment rights - and their potential implications for the workforce, employers and the wider economy. Areas for discussion include support frameworks for workers with disabilities and those with long‑term health issues, alongside related developments such as Sir Alan Milburn’s independent investigation into Rising Youth Inactivity, and wider policy discussions on supporting participation in the labour market.
We expect discussion on consistent application of standards and employer support, strategies for preventing widening of inequalities in job quality and retention across different organisations, and priorities for enforcement to keep pace with reform. Approaches to mitigating cost impact and administrative burdens from changes to statutory sick pay will also be considered, alongside proportionality for reasonable adjustments.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Department of Health and Social Care; HM Prison and Probation Service; HM Revenue and Customs; and the Welsh Government.
