Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The Post Office Welfare Service was formally established in 1947 to provide help and support to employees and pensioners. It was originally introduced to assist employees in managing their problems, with professional welfare officers on hand in all major towns throughout the United Kingdom to offer advice and guidance. The Welfare Service was to provide confidential counselling and advice and practical help on matters such as bereavement, financial distress, accommodation issues, family and relationship problems, and alcohol and drug abuse.
From 1972 the Post Office has also had an Occupational Health Service to deal with employee health issues. Led by the Chief Medical Officer, each Postal Region was given its own Regional Medical Officer and a team of doctors and nurses providing services to all levels of staff. Its focus was to be on the prevention of health issues rather than the treatment of them. The Occupational Health Service was initially established for the Post Office and British Telecom. However, following the establishment of British Telecom as a separate corporation, the Post Office set up a new service in 1981.
In 1988 the Occupational Health Service merged with Employee Support to form the Post Office's Employee Health Service. The aim of this service was to provide for the physical, social and psychological well-being of employees. The Employee Health Service currently provides advice on sickness absence and employee health management, medico-legal issues, first aid, and social well-being. It also undertakes employment assessments, health screenings, health consultancy and health and well-being education.
There are also councils, societies and associations for postal workers set up to focus on staff welfare. These include the Post Office Recreation Council, Post Office Relief Fund, Benenden Healthcare Society, P&T Leisure Centres, and the Rowland Hill Benevolent Fund.
Recreational activities have also been an important part of staff welfare and many local sports and social clubs have been formed by employees throughout the postal service. They include sports such as golf, bowling, football, cricket and rowing and hobbies such as drama, photography and art. Some examples of these clubs are The Mount Pleasant Sports and Social Club, the London Postal Service Horticultural Associaton, the Eastern Postal Sports and Social Club, and the Post Office Art Club.