NHS staff are to be offered health checks, yoga and Zumba classes in a bid to keep them healthy and reduce sickness absence.
Healthcare professionals will also be able to have a session of physiotherapy or a talking therapy for psychological problems, as part of an initiative announced by NHS chief executive, Simon Stevens, on Wednesday.
It is hoped the proposal will cut the £2.4bn annual cost of sickness absence among the 1.3 million NHS staff in England who care for patients.
We asked healthcare professionals on Twitter whether this is a good idea and an adequate solution to the problem of staff sickness. Here’s what you said. If you’d like to add your opinion, please tell us in the comments section below.
@GdnHealthcare need to address the work related causes of ill health and look at the particularly needs of shift workers
— kim sunley (@KimSunley) September 2, 2015
@orlasaysthings @LegionAvalon @GdnHealthcare agree, the problem is poor staffing causing stress & so causing sickness, we need more staff
— rebecca (@MsNaughtyCheese) September 2, 2015
@GdnHealthcare yes,other industries have long ago realised that looking after staff wellbeing must be a priority to improve customer service
— Nishma Manek (@nishmanek) September 2, 2015
@je_pala @GdnHealthcare but not the work for which they signed up - it's the extra nonsense about targets & statistics that stress people
— Angie Pedley (@AngiePedley) September 2, 2015
@GdnHealthcare what about measures specifically aimed at shift workers' health?
— Claire Batey (@clairebatey15) September 2, 2015
@GdnHealthcare Yes.Companies do this so the NHS is well behind. Doctor/Nurse behaviour: health of a patient 1st, worry about own health 2nd!
— Oncology Dietitian (@LadyNourish) September 2, 2015
Not the worst idea ever but hopefully won't overshadow huge workload & financial problems affecting #NHS workers https://t.co/Lu6sILEwiy
— orla says things (@orlasaysthings) September 2, 2015
@GdnHealthcare interesting how this kind of support was being criticsed yesterday when it came to personal health budgets!
— Lorraine Bridges (@L_BridgesCOT) September 2, 2015
@OHSnursezoe @GdnHealthcare Yes but you also need to make sure that working practices aren't undermining that.
— Harriet R (@geekyisgood) September 2, 2015
Yoga classes are a great start. Will all NHS staff have access? A culture of H&WB at work still needs embedding. https://t.co/QAJHb4afnm
— Eric Barratt (@Eric_Barratt) September 2, 2015
We've given our team fitness trackers and we've got an office fruit bowl. A step - or many - in the right direction. https://t.co/zQEcC1CrAl
— Aquarius PH (@AquariusPH) September 2, 2015
We used to do this informally. This is reintermediation. https://t.co/EqGXvqxQGm
— Adrian Midgley (@amidgley) September 2, 2015
.@GdnHealthcare In my opinion, yes. The NHS should be an advocate of workforce health - see our blog @nuffieldtrust http://t.co/TrKQqkBoyP
— Alisha Davies (@AlishaDavies1) September 2, 2015
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