Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans for the musculoskeletal component to the Workforce and Wellbeing Charter on best practice to be published.

The national workplace wellbeing standard, published in 2014, includes many elements which support the reduction of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), such as increasing physical activity and weight reduction. However, there is no MSD specific standard. The standard can be found at:

http://www.wellbeingcharter.org.uk/media/Dropbox/Charter%20standards.pdf

Voluntary local employer accreditation schemes, such as the Workplace Wellbeing Charter and Better Work Award, can enhance the national standards by adding a local MSD component if appropriate based on local population needs.