O15
MODELS OF DELIVERING HEALTH AND WELLBEING SERVICES (HWS) TO SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES (SMEs) IN THE UK: A SCOPING REVIEW
G. Ntani1, V. Parsons2, J. Yarker3, I. Madan4
1MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, UK
2Occupational Health Service, Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
3Birkbeck, University of London, UK
4Occupational Health Service, Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
BACKGROUND
UK initiatives aiming to integrate Health and Wellbeing Services (HWS) into SMEs face limitations. Government pilots subsidizing OH services for SMEs, yet fiscal concerns aren’t sole barriers. To design effective HWS for SMEs, we need to review existing occupational HWS models.
AIM
To review what occupational HWS delivery models have been developed and implemented across SMEs in the UK since 2000, and what characteristics of these models have been shown to be clinically and cost-effective?
METHODS
We searched Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Cochrane Databases and Cochrane Work (Jan 2020 – Nov 2023) databases for papers including employees aged 16 years and older working in SMEs in the UK with reported results on the intervention’s evaluation process. Results were presented with a narrative review and included: characteristics of the study; characteristics of the intervention; and information about the evaluation of the intervention.
RESULTS
From a total of 213 article returns, 6 research articles met the inclusion criteria. There was considerable heterogeneity across the included studies in terms of the type, setting and mode of intervention, while they targeted improvement in different health and wellbeing, and work outcomes. Very few reported barriers and facilitators to intervention delivery. Most showed positive effects of intervention on health promotion and behaviour change.
CONCLUSIONS
Limited data exist on effective HWS embedded in SMEs in the UK. Given their economic significance and the known benefits of workplace health services, there’s a need for focused efforts to develop and implement new initiatives effectively promoting health and wellbeing.
