In this episode of the Society of Occupational Medicine’s Specialist Functional Assessment Medicine Group Podcast, host Karen Wallace speaks with Dr. Lanre Ogunyemi about the DWP’s Pathway to Work Green Paper and its bold vision for integrating work, health, and welfare reform. Together, they explore:
- Why prevention and early intervention must be at the heart of any reform.
- How occupational health can be embedded within welfare and healthcare systems.
- The need for a tiered approach to functional assessment and return-to-work support.
- The importance of training, leadership, and building confidence in occupational health.
- The risks of getting reform wrong – and the opportunities if we get it right.
With some “blue sky thinking,” the discussion considers what a future system could look like if access to occupational health was universal, technology was harnessed effectively, and prevention was truly prioritised.
Key Takeaways:- The Green Paper offers a real opportunity for occupational health to shape the future of work and welfare.
- A stepped, tiered model could better match support to individual needs.
- Prevention and early intervention save money, reduce absence, and improve wellbeing.
- Embedding occupational health into the NHS and wider welfare system is essential.
- Without change, the UK risks worsening economic inactivity and rising welfare costs.
Guest: Dr. Lanre Ogunyemi
Host: Karen Wallace, SOM Functional Assessment Medicine Specialist Interest Group
The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.
