The 147th TUC is currently being held at The Brighton Centre and active trade unions affiliated to the TUC can table a motion for debate. If accepted, it will form the basis of the TUC’s work for the next year.
BDA chairman, Dr Fiona McCullough, said: “UK workers spend a significant amount of time in the workplace, yet so little has been addressed to ensure we encourage and promote healthier living while at work.
“In addition, one in six working people live with a long term condition, such as diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease, or a disability, and we know that eating and living well can help support these and all workers to build and maintain healthier lives.
“I am extremely passionate to fly the flag for workplace health during my time in office as British Dietetic Association Chairman and am pleased we are tabling this motion at TUC and look forward to them taking up this cause in the coming year with key decision makers around the UK.”
The BDA’s motion calls on delegates to recognise the importance of entrenching a healthy workforce to help make a positive difference to millions of UK workers. The motion also calls on delegates to recognise the important role dietitians have in influencing workplace health at all levels.
The BDA Work Ready Programme involves an in-depth white paper entitled Work Ready Programme: Supporting healthier working lives through dietitian-led wellness initiatives.
The paper identifies how good nutrition and hydration, alongside being active, keeps the UK workforce healthy and how initiatives can be integrated into places of work that have a positive ethos of health promotion.
Newly appointed Labour party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, is also due to speak at the event later today. The BDA’s motion will be tabled in the morning session.
More information about the BDA’s work around workplace health, including the white paper, can be found at https://www.bdaworkready.co.uk/.