Prevention and early intervention for a healthier workplace
Chief Medical Officer Report, 4th Edition
Introduction
Helping SMEs keep employees healthy, supported and in work
The 4th edition of our Chief Medical Officer Report, aligned with the Keep Britain Working initiative, shows how Group Income Protection (GIP) can help SMEs prevent absence, manage health-related absence more effectively and support quicker, sustainable returns to work.
Alongside proactive wellbeing services such as virtual primary care and mental health support, the report brings the value of absence management, early intervention and vocational rehabilitation into sharper focus, showing how clinical case management, tailored return-to-work planning and practical employer support can reduce disruption, improve productivity and help build healthier workplace cultures where people can thrive.
What's inside the report?
- Foreword
James Shattock, Managing Director of Protection & Retail Retirement, L&G - Introduction
Dr Tarun Gupta, Chief Medical Officer, L&G - The Critical Window: Early Support in Vocational Rehabilitation
Vanessa Sallows, Claims & Clinical Development Director, Group Protection at L&G - In conversation with: Vocational Rehabilitation
In conversation with... Vanessa Sallows, Johnny Timpson OBE, Julie Denning and Roy Mcloughlin - In conversation with: Early Intervention
In conversation with... Vanessa Sallows, Johnny Timpson OBE, Julie Denning and Roy Mcloughlin
Let’s keep Britain working
We’re supporting the drive to keep Britain working by giving SMEs the tools accessible through our GIP — like early intervention, virtual care, vocational rehabilitation support and actionable workforce insights—that are designed to help keep employees healthy, supported and in work.
Read the first, second and third editions
Good work is good health
- How to extend salary replacement (in times of illness or injury) to more people.
- Helping employers ensure the good physical, mental, financial and social wellbeing of their employees.
- How to consider work as part of the recovery journey, helping to shift thinking from the 'all or nothing' approach that traditionally prevails in absence management.
Diversity Equity and Inclusion
In the second edition of our CMO Report, we continued with the theme of ‘Good work being beneficial health’. We also explored how group income protection can support the barriers to equity and inclusion as well as helping contribute to a productive workplace.
Digital health and wellbeing
Digital health and wellbeing tools help employers strengthen satisfaction, culture and overall employee health, while also supporting advisers in growing wellbeing awareness for their clients. Our third edition focuses on the value these technologies bring to people, businesses and wider society—today and in the future.
Future reports coming in 2026
Later this year, we will release edition five. This edition will focus on working with cancer, exploring how employers can better support individuals who are balancing treatment, recovery, and return-to-work journeys, while fostering inclusive and compassionate workplace cultures.
About our CMO: Dr Tarun Gupta
Tarun is the Chief Medical Officer for L&G’s UK Protection business. He is an experienced NHS GP, Clinical Commissioner and Occupational Health Physician to the private sector.
He serves as a resource for the claims and clinical teams and provides medical opinion on complex cases, applying his expertise to comprehensively assess functional ability, interpret disparate medical evidence and help provide clarity with claims that require a greater medical understanding.
His clinical interests include mental health and workplace wellbeing, and he is a regular speaker on emerging workplace health topics.
He contributes to medical education and professional development across the insurance industry through his involvement with the LUCID and AMUS committees.
Protecting your data
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