Secretary of State for work and pensions James Purnell MP is lending his support to an MS Society-led project designed to help people with chronic and fluctuating health conditions remain in work.

Mr Purnell joins the MS Society and a range of charities, work organisations and leading UK employers and trade unions at a round table event at the Work Foundation in London today (2 June).

Also attending is Dame Carol Black, author of ‘Working for a healthier tomorrow’ - the influential report that prompted the DWP to support the MS Society in setting up the project: ‘Work retention for people with chronic and fluctuating health conditions’.

Simon Gillespie, chief executive of the MS Society, said: “All too often, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other fluctuating health conditions say they left work too soon, either voluntarily or due to pressure from an employer. We want to provide an information resource that can act as a safety net at the point at which someone’s working life may be about to fall off a cliff.

“We also hear positive stories from employers who have invested in keeping on an employee with a chronic or fluctuating health condition. In many cases, they have benefited from keeping experienced staff on board, and have avoided the costs of recruiting anew. This information needs to be shared and we welcome the support of the Secretary of State and Dame Carol in pushing this up the work agenda.”

This working group will act as the starting point for a project supported by the DWP, designed to bring together an online resource for employees and employers, raising awareness of the support available to help people to stay in work. The site is due to be launched by the end of 2009. The conditions specifically covered by the project are MS, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV and cancer.

Source
MS Society