Website of the Department of Health

'Working for a healthier tomorrow' - Dame Carol Black's review of the health of Britain's working age population

Carol Black, National Director for Health and Work, was commissioned in March 2007 by the Secretaries of State for Health and Work and Pensions to undertake a wide-ranging review of the health of Britain’s working age population. The purpose of this commission was to develop a baseline understanding of the health of working age people and the impact this has on government, the economy and society; and to make recommendations to Government and wider stakeholders on how to improve the health of the working age population.

The former Health Improvement Directorate, now part of the new Health Improvement and Protection Directorate under David Harper, has recently launched a pilot scheme - the healthy HIP project - to help its staff make changes and make HIP a healthier place to work.  With the aid of consultants Creating Excellent, it is using a 'Fit for business' model which - focusing on exercise, healthy eating, mental health and the working environment, smoking, and drugs and alcohol misuse - provides a structure for businesses to boost staff health.  One of the initiatives which was launched at the DH health event day recently  is the 'Climb to Base Camp Stair Challenge' which HIP opened up to all of DH, where teams compete to climb stairs to see who can reach the base camp of Mount Everest the fastest.  There are now over 200 DH staff  taking part in this challenge.

Her independent report has now been published and is available at:

• Working for a healthier tomorrow (opens new window)