We rarely point to US healthcare policy or politics, for that matter. However, what’s playing out there is a warning to any Occupational Health provider still trying to compete on price over value.

In the last few months, sweeping cuts across US public health agencies have gutted some of the most critical workplace safety services. From respiratory health to toxic exposure and cancer prevention, thousands of OH experts have been laid off. The programmes they led are collapsing.

These weren’t low-impact roles. They were the scientists certifying PPE, protecting frontline workers from chronic illness and uncovering environmental risks. Some have been reinstated under pressure, but most are gone.

And while this happened under a political banner, the root cause will feel familiar: Occupational Health was treated as expendable.

Why This Should Worry Providers

The US may be a different system, but the lesson travels. When OH is undercut, the whole model weakens. And for providers, that doesn’t just hurt delivery. It hurts your reputation.

If you’re:

• Running at bare minimum staffing levels
  
• Relying on outdated processes
  
• Prioritising speed over strategy
  
• Pitching only to HR and ignoring Ops
  
• Hiring at the cheapest rate you can get away with
  

You might win short-term contracts. But long term, you’re reinforcing the idea that OH is a cost to manage rather than a function to invest in.

That mindset makes it harder to grow. Harder to retain good people. Harder to prove value when it counts.

High-Quality OH Is Not a Nice-to-Have

It’s a business-critical service. It reduces risk. Keeps people working. Protects organisations from operational disruption and reputational damage.

That only happens when your service is led by experienced professionals who are properly supported. When you invest in clinical leadership. When you bring in people who can handle complexity and contribute beyond compliance.

Clients are asking for this now. If your delivery doesn’t reflect that, someone else will step in.

Don’t Think It Can’t Happen Here

We’re already seeing the pressure in the UK. There’s a national shortfall in trained OH professionals. Public sector tenders are stretched. Private providers are fighting to retain clinicians. Many services are being delivered by teams with no time to reflect, plan or improve.

That’s how quality erodes. Quietly. One shortcut at a time.

If You’re Not Valuing OH Internally, You Can’t Expect Clients To

We get it. Margins are tight. Demand is up. But the solution isn’t to hollow out your own offer. It’s to protect the parts that matter.

That means:

• Hiring people with the right clinical depth
  
• Building in time and tools for them to do their job well
  
• Having strong internal leadership that can manage risk, not just process cases
  
• Positioning your service as operationally relevant, not just a referral endpoint
  

If you don’t value the work, you can’t expect your clients to.

Build Value. Deliver on It. Lead From It.

This is not about doubling budgets or chasing prestige. It’s about being credible. It’s about protecting your workforce and your reputation. And it’s about staying in the game as expectations rise.

Because when something goes wrong, the client wants a provider they can trust. Better still, they want one who helped them avoid the problem in the first place.

About Recruiting Heads

We help OH providers hire people who can lead, deliver and protect your reputation. From clinical leads to operational strategists, we recruit for performance, not just presence. Strategic recruitment for OH, Wellbeing, H&S and Clinical Governance. Built for people who want results, not just CVs.