Back pain, nerve damage or muscle injuries – so-called musculoskeletal disorders – are the number one cause of staff sick days in the UK. These common ailments and associated staff absence from the workplace cost the national economy £34bn a year.
At Staffordshire county council, musculoskeletal problems are the cause of 30% of all sick days. We have a high proportion of staff performing manual jobs, from cleaning and catering to grounds maintenance or care workers.
In addition to work related factors, conditions can result from lifestyle choices such as playing sport or health issues including obesity and diabetes. An added cause is the nation's naturally ageing workforce. The likelihood of absence almost doubles for every 10 years of an employee's age.
Given the cost and impact it has on our services, we have taken decisive action. In February the council launched an innovative package of measures to manage staff sickness. They included a pilot physiotherapy service offering immediate assessment and treatment to council staff.
Managers can refer an employee within 24 hours of them calling in sick, so that physiotherapists can get to work within 48 hours to assess the condition and begin treatment. The longer someone is absent from work the less effective treatment will be, so rapid action is key.
However, prevention is better than cure. Ailments like back or nerve pain can build over time, progressing from nagging aches to more chronic conditions, so we are also giving staff the opportunity to request referrals for treatment when symptoms first surface so that we can prevent absence altogether.
The results have been striking. Between February and April staff took 700 fewer days off sick for musculoskeletal problems compared to the same period last year. This equates to a saving of over £60,000 in contrast to the £20,000 cost of providing physiotherapy, a hugely encouraging return on investment but also means more staff delivering services for residents.
In addition to the physiotherapy pilot, over 1,000 managers received training and information on staff absence. New reporting measures have also been introduced. Every tier of management now receives monthly absence reports for the teams below, highlighting any areas where extra support or action is needed.
The cumulative effect of the new measures is that since February staff have taken 1,000 fewer days off sick every month, reducing the cost of staff absence by over £100,000 a month.
Across the authority we are finding new ways of working so that we can deliver the value for money services our residents want. Underpinning this with a modern, effective approach to improve and maintain the health of our workforce is helping to make that happen.
Ian Parry is cabinet member for finance and transformation at Staffordshire county council
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