Delivery of the Health4Work Adviceline service is co-ordinated by NHS Plus through a project manager. NHS Plus is a network of more than 160 NHS occupational health services across England who, as part of the Government's Health, Work and Well-being Strategy, seek to promote the benefits of good health at work and help build healthy and productive workforces. More information is available on the NHS Plus website at http://www.nhsplus.nhs.uk

The Adviceline service is provided by NHS occupational health services working in partnership with Strategycom.

The free Adviceline provides small business managers with the expert advice and support they need to help team members experiencing ill health. All managers will have experienced how the health of an individual impacts on their performance. What's more, with the increase of mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and depression, it is now more important than ever to:

• find the advice and support you need today to help an employee experiencing ill health;
• develop a plan to effectively and sympathetically deal with employee sickness absence;
• establish how to deal with similar problems in the future, should they occur;
• think differently about your business and the investment you could make in a healthy workplace.

It is widely recognised that the health of individuals is linked to their ability to effectively participate and contribute in their work. The impact of ill health on small businesses is significant, yet very few provide help and support to staff who suffer from ill health.

Small business managers are busier than ever and often overlook the importance of staff health as they strive to deliver business improvement and growth. The Adviceline service recognises this and so provides free, quick and easy access to effective professional advice and guidance in this key area.

"Employee health is integral to their performance and therefore key to business success."

Professor Sayeed Khan, Chief Medical Adviser, EEF

Employee sickness absence has a detrimental effect on business profitability so it's crucial to minimise sickness absence and properly support employees who are at work with ill health. With some small businesses losing on average 12 days a year to physical or mental ill health, the potential impact on you and your business is considerable.

Contacting the Adviceline will help you to provide the immediate help and support needed by an employee experiencing ill health. You will understand how to manage future cases of employee ill health and sickness absence, and how to introduce healthier working practices that will positively impact on all your staff. What's more, investing in the health of your staff makes sound commercial sense in terms of business performance, productivity and staff morale, and it helps create a healthy working culture.

It is now easier than ever to access the help and support both you and your staff need.

"The Health for Work Adviceline is a significant element of the Government's plan to create healthier workplaces. It gives small and medium sized businesses access to professional and tailored occupational health information, advice and guidance. This means that employers can support the health of their employees to reduce incidents of sickness absence, help their timely return to work following mental or physical ill health absence, and help to reduce the numbers claiming sickness benefits."

Lord Freud (Work and Pensions Minister)

The free 'Health for Work Adviceline for Small Business' helps you to quickly and effectively address the issue of employee ill health, minimise the impact of staff illness, and provide essential support to staff with physical or mental health issues.

The Adviceline will provide you with expert support to help you:

• get an employee back to work after long-term sickness;
• manage the impact on your business when an employee takes time off work through ill health;
• support an employee and benefit from their abilities if they are at work with health issues;
• encourage and support an employee who is off work, yet wants to return and contribute to your business;
• develop a working culture where illness is less likely to occur.

Contact the Adviceline using the freephone number 0800 0 77 88 44. If you phone during working hours you will be connected to a local professional who will be happy to discuss your specific requirements further. By visiting our knowledge base you can search for information, post a question to our staff and arrange a call back.

In order to ensure you get the most from the service it would help us if you could:

• be ready to offer a concise overview of the issues you want to discuss;
• know what actions, if any, your business has already taken;
• provide information on relevant sickness absence;
• let us know if/how this has impacted on other staff within your business.

Ring the Adviceline on freephone 0800 0 77 88 44.

The journey to a healthier and more productive business starts here.