The History of
Harlow Occupational Health Services

Harlow Occupational Health Services has a long and trusted history. We were founded in 1955 as Harlow Industrial Health Service, and so pre-dates the presence of a hospital in the town. We moved to purpose-built premises at Stephen Taylor House in 1992. The building includes consulting and screening rooms, a physiotherapy suite, and a fully equipped training room.

Our building is named after the eminent occupational physician, MP and civil servant Stephen Taylor, who was Medical Director of HOHS, and in 1958 was created a life peer as Baron Taylor of Harlow. Harlow Occupational Health Service, and the Association of Group Occupational Health Services grew from his vision of a small occupational health facility in every industrial town.

In December 1983 Harlow Council purchased the six original Health Centres for £370,000 and established the Health Centres Trust to manage them. A few months later work started at Sumners, at a cost of £352,000, to complete the new town provision. The Nuffield Provincial Hospital Trust was also interested in Stephen Taylor’s ideas for a new type of Industrial Health Service. It was noted that loss of working time in industry, as a result of inadequate care of minor injuries and accidents could be lessened with proper provision.

The Chief Inspector of Factories in 1960 reported 675 deaths and 190,266 work related injuries in that year. The Harlow centre was pioneering a new and valued service to industry. It attracted visits from professionals throughout the UK and abroad and was widely copied. In the UK similar centres were soon established.

The Trust encouraged the idea and with its subsequent generosity, it made possible the creation of the Harlow Industrial Health Service at Edinburgh House, adjacent to Cawley Hatch on the eastern industrial estate. The centre opened in 1955 and within a year had 60 affiliated companies with over 10,000 employees. It was financed by subscriptions from member companies and organisations.

In 1991 Harlow Industrial Health Services changed their name to the now Harlow Occupational Health Services. The following year, in 1992, the charity relocated to The Stephen Taylor House, just off Edinburgh Way, where it still provides its service today.