New health fund for SMEs announced

The Department of Health has announced a new fund intended to finance new demonstration sites for NHS Plus to improve healthcare services available to small to medium-sized businesses (SME).

The second-phase funding follows a ten million pound grant allocated in April 2007 that has already been used to support the development of five “innovative demonstration sites” across the UK.

Health minister Ivan Lewis said: “We want people to be healthy at work and for businesses to flourish. The pioneering occupational health support provided by NHS Plus through innovative projects is the kind of thing that will make the difference. I look forward to seeing the new sites up and running and I encourage expressions of interest to the Department of Health.”

NHS Plus supports SMEs across the UK by providing access to occupational health services, helping people return to work following illness and addressing the ill health and injuries resulting from work as well as general health problems compounded by specific working conditions.

Meanwhile, yesterday the NHS chief executive David Nicholson announced that Professor Sir Bruce Keogh has been selected as the body’s new medical director.