Background to Securing Health Together

Why Securing Health Together (SH2)?

If we are to secure health together we will need the continuing commitment of all parties to take the Strategy forward. As part of the Strategy, new structures, through which interested parties are fully involved have been introduced to implement and deliver the Strategy.

What targets have been set?

By 2010 interested parties will work together to achieve the following targets:

• a 20% reduction in the incidence of work-related ill health
• a 20% reduction in ill health to members of the public caused by work activity
• a 30% reduction in the number of work days lost due to work-related ill health
• everyone currently in employment but off work due to ill health or disability is, where necessary and appropriate, made aware of opportunities for rehabilitation back into work as early as possible; and
• everyone currently not in employment due to ill health or disability is, where necessary and appropriate, made aware of and offered opportunities to prepare for and find work

SH2 Partnership Board

A Partnership Board was formed to oversee the implementation and delivery of the Strategy. The Chair of the Health & Safety Commission (HSC), Bill Callaghan, chaired the Board. The individual members were selected because they were high profile and at the top of their field to ensure we had the balance of skills and experience we needed as well as the opportunity to influence key networks.

SH2 Programme Action Groups

Each of the Strategy's five programmes is equally important. The Programme Action Groups (PAGs) for each were set up to consider the priorities and then set targets and identify projects and actions to be taken forward by the appropriate interested parties. The PAGs were:

• Programme 1 – Compliance
  To improve the law in relation to occupational health and compliance with it.
• Programme 2 - Continuous improvement
  Striving for excellence through continuous improvement in occupational health.
• Programme 3 – Knowledge
  To obtain essential knowledge on occupational health.
• Programme 4 – Skills
  To ensure that all interested parties have the necessary competence and skills.
• Programme 5 – Support
  To ensure that appropriate mechanisms are in place to deliver information, advice and other support on occupational health. There is also a project to implement the recommendation of the OHAC Report on Improving Access to Occupational Health Support.

Both the Partnership Board and the Programme Action Groups have now ceased their considerations and a number of initiatives are being taken forward, most notably the Workplace Health Connect initiative.