What is the Adviceline?

The Health for Work Adviceline is a free service that provides small business managers with the expert advice and support they need to help team members experiencing ill health.

Who runs the Adviceline?

The Adviceline is a key part of Health, Work and Well-being, a Government-led initiative to improve the health and well-being of working age people in the UK. Health, Work and Well-being is sponsored by five Government partners: the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department of Health, the Health and Safety Executive, the Scottish Government, and the Welsh Assembly Government.

Is the Adviceline for me?

The Health for Work Adviceline is 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.

Why should I call the Adviceline?

Because when you call the Adviceline you will quickly get the advice and support you need to:

• help employees who are experiencing ill health.
• plan effectively.
• sympathetically deal with employee sickness absence.
• establish how to deal with similar problems in the future.

Our advice can also help you think differently about your business and the benefits of investing in a healthy workplace.

Is the Adviceline a 24-hour service?

No. You can call the Adviceline and speak with a member of our team during normal working hours. Outside working hours you can still use the knowledge base to find answers to your specific questions and/or leave your details with us (using 'Ask a Question') so we can call you back the following working day

Will this cost me money?

Your call to the Adviceline is free if you are an eligible business, as is the initial consultation and advice you will be given. Additional services that you may subsequently require, based on the advice you receive, may be chargeable.

What can the Adviceline help me do?

The Adviceline can help you to:

• minimise the impact of sickness absence.
• improve the productivity of your business through the performance of your staff.
• enjoy significant bottom line benefits and improved business performance.
• create a healthy working culture to impact positively on staff morale.
• reduce the costs associated with absence, staff turnover and recruitment.

Who is eligible to use the Adviceline?

The Adviceline is available for both employers and employees working in any organisation based in England. The Adviceline team also welcomes calls from GPs calling on behalf of patients.

What parts of the country are covered by the Adviceline?

All of England. Additionally there are Advicelines being operated in Wales and Scotland.

I'm an employee. May I call the Adviceline?

Yes you may. However, we would prefer it if your employer could call the Adviceline for support with your personal issues.

I'm based in Scotland, where can I get advice?

If you are based in Scotland, you can get free advice at Healthy Working Lives. You can call their Adviceline on 0800 019 2211 or by visiting them at http://www.healthyworkinglives.com/

I'm based in Wales, where can I get advice?

If you are based in Wales you can get free advice by calling the Health at Work Adviceline Wales on 0800 107 0900, or by visiting http://www.healthyworkingwales.com

Is the Adviceline only for employee health issues?

Yes. The Adviceline is restricted to support and advice on employee health issues.

I'm not eligible to use the Adviceline. Where can I get professional support?

If you are based in England you can get health at work advice from an occupational health expert at your nearest NHS Plus site. Further information can be found at http://www.nhsplus.nhs.uk/business/findus.asp. Other sources of advice include:

• ACAS (http://www.acas.org.uk) for employment law advice
• The Health and Safety Executive (http://www.hse.gov.uk/) for health and safety advice
• Business Link (http://www.businesslink.gov.uk). for general business advice

Where can I get Health & Safety advice?

For information and advice about Health and Safety in the UK, we recommend that you visit the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/ or use the HSE Ask an Expert service on 0845 345 0055. Other contact details for the HSE are available at http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/ask.htm

How do I use the Adviceline?

First: prepare a concise overview of the issues, actions already taken, and information on relevant sickness absence. Then: call the Adviceline. If you phone during working hours you will talk with a member of our team who can either help you to address your issue or put you through on a live transfer to an occupational health nurse. Outside working hours you can still use the knowledge base to find answers to your specific questions and/or leave your details (using 'Ask a Question') so we can call you back the following working day.

What do I need to prepare before I call the Adviceline?

To ensure that you get the most from the service it would help us if you could do the following: 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.To ensure that you get the most from the service it would help us if you could do the following: 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.

What will happen when I call?

When you call the Adviceline you will be able to discuss your specific needs with a member of our team. Depending on the nature of your enquiry, you may: - be guided towards relevant information included in our extensive resources; - be referred to one of our partner organisations; - be transferred directly to one of our occupational health nurses.

What should I do if I can't call during office hours?

If you are looking for information outside working hours you can still use the knowledge base to find answers to your specific questions and/or leave your details with us so we can call you back the following working day.

Do I have to use the Adviceline by law?

No. But please bear in mind that not maintaining certain workplace health and well-being standards might have legal implications for your business. As well as helping you reduce the likelihood of legal action in the future, getting expert advice and support makes sound commercial sense in terms of your business performance, productivity and staff morale.

What is Occupational Health?

Occupational health may be defined as the ability of a worker to function at an optimum level of well-being at a worksite as reflected in terms of productivity, work attendance, disability compensation claims, and employment longevity.

What is mental health?

The term mental health covers a wide spectrum of states and conditions, ranging from good mental health, feeling low or upset, to clinically diagnosable anxiety or depression, and psychotic or other conditions. A particular state or condition can be temporary, periodic, or more permanent. The phrase 'mental health conditions' is used to describe all mental disorders or illnesses that meet generally accepted criteria for clinical diagnosis.

What is Health, Work and Well-being?

Health, Work and Well-being is a Government-led initiative to protect and improve the health and well-being of working age people. Founded on a growing evidence base that working is good for health, it brings together employers, unions, healthcare professionals, and other stakeholders to promote the positive links between health and work and help more people with health conditions to find and stay in employment. For more information visit http://www.workingforhealth.gov.uk/

What is NHS Plus?

NHS Plus is part of the Government's Health, Work and Well-being Strategy and seeks 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/

What is a small business?

In the UK, sections 382 and 465 of the Companies Act 2006 define Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) for the purpose of accounting requirements. According to this a small company is one that has a turnover of not more than £6.5 million, a balance sheet total of not more than £3.26 million and not more than 50 employees. Businesses employing up to 250 people may use the Adviceline.