It is a wise employer who realises that their staff are the most valuable asset to any company. For your organisation to perform well, you need a healthy workforce.

In the UK, sickness absence and other health-related productivity losses cost the country more than an estimated £100bn a year (UK Government) and more than 137 million working days are lost annually due to sickness or injury. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states that employers are obliged to provide a working environment that is healthy and safe for everyone.

The benefits of a workplace health MOT

Clearly, the benefits of health screening is having a happy and healthy workforce with:

• • Fewer sickness-related absences
  • Improved workplace morale and greater energy
  • Increased staff engagement and trust

• Improved staff retention and recruitment
• Reduced stress on other employees, who may have to pick up their colleagues’ duties when they are off sick

What does a Workplace Health MOT involve?

Workplace Health MOTs are confidential sessions, undertaken in the workplace by registered nurses and can be tailored to the needs of an organisation. Each one lasts 15, 20 or 30 minutes (depending on preference set at booking) and focuses on assessing cardiovascular risk factors along with gender and age-related cancers. We also discuss the relationship between mental and physical health to ensure holistic wellbeing is considered.

A health questionnaire is sent to each employee prior to their appointment with questions about their health and any family medical history i.e., Cardiovascular or Coronary Heart Disease or any Cancers, this information can be useful to the nurse when looking at the results of the tests listed below and information given by attendee.

• blood pressure,
• manual pulse
• height and weight to calculate body mass index
• waist measurement which gives an indicate to visceral fat
• capillary (finger prick) blood glucose
• capillary (finger prick) total cholesterol
• lifestyle discussion

Once the nurse has completed the Workplace Health MOT the results will be entered into the Health Passport. The results will be discussed and any advice the nurse feels will help improve work life balance will be offered allowing the employee to make informed decisions going forward.

If anyone is found to be at risk, they will be sign posted to the relevant Healthcare Professional i.e. their GP or a Practice Nurse.