Long-term health conditions

It is important to make reasonable adjustments where applicable for staff with long-term health conditions.

The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.  Managers should work closely with their human resources team to ensure that everything is done to provide the right support for the individual. Where this is not possible, employers have a legal responsibility to try and find alternative solutions such as redeploying the employee to a more suitable role they can carry out within the organisation.

Below are some resources to help managers put the right support in place for their staff:

• Supporting disabled staff in the workplace.
• Supporting recovery after long COVID.
• Rapid access to treatment and rehabilitation for NHS staff.
• NHS England's reasonable adjustments.
• Acas’ reasonable adjustments.
• The government’s legislation on reasonable adjustments for disabled people. 

Access to Work can help people get or stay in work if they have a physical or mental health condition or disability. The scheme provides practical support and advice to disabled people or employees with long-term conditions and employers to help overcome work related obstacles resulting from a long-term condition or disability.

The scheme pays towards any extra employment costs that result from a long-term condition or disability. It applies to any paid job, part-time or full-time, permanent or temporary. There is no minimum number of hours for eligibility for support under the scheme. It is provided where an individual requires support or adaptations beyond the reasonable adjustments, which an employer is legally obliged to provide under the Equality Act 2010.

This factsheet further explains how Access to Work can provide practical and financial support to help you overcome barriers to starting or keeping a job if you have a disability or long-term physical or mental health condition.

Below you will find dedicated advice and guidance on supporting staff with some of the key long-term health conditions in the workplace.

Arthritis:

• Supporting employees with arthritis.

Asthma:

• Supporting friends and colleagues with asthma.

Cancer:

• Macmillan guide for employers. 
• Healthy working lives. 
• Breast cancer now.

COPD:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Diabetes:

• Supporting people with diabetes in the workplace. 
• Supporting someone with diabetes at work. 

Epilepsy:

• Supporting staff with epilepsy.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Long COVID:

• Supporting recovery after long COVID. 
• Supporting your NHS colleagues with long COVID- webinar. 
• The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) return to work guide.
• The Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM) guidance.
• The institute for employment studies (IES) toolkit.

​​​​​​​Migraines:

• The migraine trust. 
• Migraine guidance for managers.

​​​​​​​Sickle cell:

• Sickle cell work and employment.

Stroke:

• A complete guide to stroke for employers.