Guest blog by Claire Glynn, Operations Manager at The Wellness Centre, University of Lancashire
Workplace wellbeing is increasingly recognised as a strategic priority and no longer a “nice to have”. According to the Health and Safety Executive, work related stress, depression and anxiety accounted for 49% of all work related ill health in 2023/24, contributing to 35.2 million lost working days. As organisations continue to navigate rising stress levels, complex health needs, and the ongoing challenge of supporting a diverse workforce, accessible and preventative workplace health services have never been more important. Reactive healthcare demands continue to rise, and organisations are seeking earlier, more accessible ways to support their people.
At the University of Lancashire’s Wellness Centre, we are proud to be contributing to this in a unique way: by delivering high quality, evidence-based wellbeing services powered by trained students and supervised by experienced professionals. Our work has expanded significantly, strengthening our role as a practical, affordable wellbeing partner for both the university community and local businesses. Our mission is clear: to provide preventative and positive health care that helps individuals stay well, reduces escalation to clinical services, and supports healthier workplaces.
One of the most distinctive aspects of the Wellness Centre is the collaborative, cross disciplinary approach embedded across the School of Health, Social Work and Sport. Our services draw on expertise from physiotherapy, public health, nutrition and lifestyle medicine, sports science and mental health and wellbeing. This model ensures that individuals and organisations receive holistic, joined up support, reflecting the real world complexity of workplace health. It also provides students with rich, interprofessional learning experiences, a strength that was particularly noted during recent visits.
A preventative, positive approach to workplace wellbeing
Our work is grounded in evidence showing that early intervention and proactive wellbeing support reduce the likelihood of individuals requiring reactive healthcare. Research states that investing in preventative wellbeing approaches see:
- Lower sickness absence
- Reduced presenteeism
- Improved productivity
- Lower long term health related costs
The Wellness Centre contributes to this by offering accessible, early stage wellbeing support that helps people maintain good health before issues escalate, reducing demand for reactive healthcare services.
Our role alongside occupational health
While we do not provide statutory assessments, clinical decision making or fitness for work evaluations, our services sit naturally within a tiered model of workplace health. We offer:
- Early wellbeing support
- Lifestyle and preventative interventions
- Guidance that reduces escalation to clinical services
This approach helps organisations manage demand, improve access, and support individuals earlier in their wellbeing journey, complementing the work of occupational health without duplicating it.
Growing engagement across the University community
We have seen sustained growth across all areas of our service:
- Participation in wellbeing activities has increased steadily
- Enquiries for support continue to rise, particularly for early stage guidance
- Group programmes and health checks have seen marked increases in uptake, especially during peak academic periods
This reflects a cultural shift towards proactive wellbeing, a key factor in reducing future reactive healthcare needs.
Expanding evidence based services
Our service development has been guided by current workplace health evidence and the needs of our community. Over the past year, we have:
- Expanded our health checks, including blood pressure, peak flow, grip strength, and functional fitness testing, lifestyle questionnaires, and biometrics, all aligned with Public Health England guidance
- Strengthened our weight management and lifestyle programmes, reflecting research showing that workplace health interventions can deliver a return on investment of £2–£4 for every £1 spent
- Introduced specialist support pathways, including fibromyalgia informed wellbeing, and pre-diabetes support, recognising the growing prevalence of long term conditions in working age adults
- Increased the number of supervised student practitioners, supporting both service capacity and workforce development
This dual benefit model, improving wellbeing while training future practitioners, is increasingly recognised as a sustainable approach to workplace health provision.
Strengthening SME access through the School of Business
Only 15% of SMEs currently have access to formal OH services (SOM, 2023). Our collaboration with the School of Business has opened new pathways to support SMEs, a sector that often struggles to access affordable occupational health provision. Through this partnership, we have:
- Engaged with 400+ local organisations
- Provided tailored wellbeing information
- Supported early stage health and lifestyle needs
- Increased participation in workplace wellbeing activities
This work is helping businesses understand that effective wellbeing support does not need to be complex or costly and directly supports SOM’s mission to widen access to workplace health support for smaller employers.
A major milestone this year has been the development of a contract with Stay Well, who now act as an agent for the Wellness Centre. This partnership expands our reach, strengthens our commercial model, and enables more organisations to access our services through a trusted intermediary. It also demonstrates our commitment to building sustainable, scalable wellbeing pathways that benefit both the university and the wider community.
Our priorities for the coming year are to continue growing our impact by deepening partnerships with employers, expanding specialist programmes informed by emerging evidence, strengthening data collection and outcome measurement and enhancing student training to support the future OH workforce
The Wellness Centre is uniquely positioned to contribute to the workplace health landscape, combining innovation, accessibility, and evidence-based practice to support healthier, more resilient workplaces.