December 30, 2023, at 11:01
Bosses will be asked to recommend running and gardening clubs to get people out of work due to illness back into work.
Jobcentres and employers will also be asked to refer people for treatment and lifestyle advice under government plans to create a national occupational health service.
It is an attempt to tackle the problem of long sick leave and Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said the NHS is not doing enough to tackle record levels of absenteeism.
Community activities such as singing and gardening clubs will be encouraged by NHS "social purpose" initiatives.
Pilot plans will begin in 2024, with 15 regions trialling a service known as WorkWell, which recommends vocational counselling, physiotherapy and mental health treatment.
After testing, it is planned to expand the program throughout the country starting in 2025.
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Health and Wellbeing Minister Victoria Atkins said the plan was not "universal" but believed it would work with other services.
“We know that the longer a person is unemployed, the harder it is to find one,” the Times wrote.
They continued: “We also know that one in five of those claiming the highest level of healthcare want to work and feel they can do so with the right support.”
Stride and Atkins continued: “From functional trainers to doctors, therapists and club managers, we will join forces that we know change lives and help people recover.
“When someone is unemployed and receiving long-term sick pay, WorkWell is designed to step in and provide people with the support they need to stay in work or return to work as quickly as possible.”
But shadow home secretary Alison McGovern said the plan was "too little, too late".
The number of people on long-term sick leave reached 2.6 million in September, and 2.2 million people are claiming Universal Credit without a work requirement.
