Dr Claire Shooter
Public Health Manager, RSSB
Sickness absence in the rail industry is double that of the national average and four times the rate of that in comparable industries, costing us £356 million a year. Meanwhile, one in three rail workers report symptoms consistent with a diagnosable mental health condition.
Even though we’ve invested a lot of money in health and wellbeing initiatives and we are further ahead than we were 10 to 15 years ago, these stark statistics show why there is still more crucial work to be done.
By utilising the systems approach outlined in my guidance document, Working for health equity: The role of rail, we can identify synergies between projects, or gaps where health issues aren’t adequately addressed. This will help us target health and wellbeing investment to improve health outcomes and social sustainability.
Health equity crisis
It has to be said though, this health equity crisis is clearly not a problem limited to the rail industry. For instance, England as a whole experiences significant health inequalities, and the disparities in health outcomes and access to healthcare across different communities are deeply concerning. The Office for National Statistics reported that nationally, between 2020 and 2022, people living in the least deprived areas could expect to live almost 20 years longer in good health than those in the most deprived areas.
Sadly, many in the UK don’t have equal opportunities to live well. They’re stifled by social, economic, and/or environmental factors that are often beyond their control. As a result, they live shorter lives than they should, with a large proportion of their lives spent in poor health.
Among the industry’s vast and diverse workforce will be these same disadvantaged individuals who have the odds stacked against them. Now, when these disadvantages intersect with working conditions that can exacerbate or induce ill health, such as work patterns or physical hazards, the impact on employee wellbeing and operational performance can be magnified.
Rail influence
But rail has an incredible amount of influence here. Not only do we provide gainful employment, but we also bridge geographical gaps, connect communities, stimulate economic development, and encourage active travel—sustainably. We’re able to make lasting contributions to the very communities that need us most—communities where our colleagues, and customers, come from.
As an industry, we’ve been ramping up efforts to improve workforce health and wellbeing for some years now. The Office of Rail and Road emphasised the need for improved management of work-related ill health in GB rail in its first report on the subject in 2011. In the ensuing years, the industry got busy. We published health and wellbeing strategies, formed cross-industry groups to tackle the problems, and began adopting a more data-driven response.
New way with deep challenges
With all our activities considered, you might imagine that the tide is bound to turn. Not quite, however, because the challenges run deep. Even though we’ve invested a lot of money in health and wellbeing initiatives, we’re still beset with high levels of sickness absence. So, going forward, we must work in a holistic and interconnected way to understand and respond to these complex problems.
That’s why I produced Working for health equity: The role of rail. The guidance document sheds light on the health equity crisis, how it affects the rail industry, and how we can play a crucial role in promoting equitable health outcomes. So, please read and share it for a healthier future in the rail industry, and the country as a whole.