Simplyhealth and Nuffield Health launch free back care awareness guide
With 7.6 million working days lost each year in the UK due to work related musculoskeletal disorders (i), Simplyhealth has teamed up with Nuffield Health to provide businesses with a useful back care awareness guide.
The guide is relevant to all organisations regardless of size and is available to download in time for national Back Care Awareness Week on Monday 8 October 2012 from www.simplyhealth.co.uk/backcare.
Howard Hughes, Head of Employer Marketing at Simplyhealth says: "We have developed a number of factsheets that will help employees tackle potential back pain trigger points, and includes advice on how to deal with back pain during pregnancy. There is a selection of desk exercises and back stretches, as well as posters and videos to remind individuals on how to care for their back during their working day.
"We have also added an awareness section which includes a manager's checklist to help spot the signs of musculoskeletal issues in employees and potential red flags to look out for.
"It's estimated that 583,000 people in the UK suffer from a musculoskeletal disorder that they believe was caused or made worse by work (i). 57% of long term absence among manual workers and 46% of long term absences among non manual workers can be attributed to musculoskeletal disorders (ii). It's therefore essential that both employees and employers are equipped with the information they need to help minimise the risk. We hope that organisations find our guide a useful tool to raise awareness of potential problems and to help reduce incidences of injury in the workplace."
Paul Kennedy, Senior Physiotherapist at Nuffield Health, said: "One of our recent studies into musculoskeletal disorders found that 51% of UK workers have suffered from back pain within the last 12 months and that 20% required time off work as a result of this.
"As back pain is prevalent at any age, it is important to seek advice quickly on the best treatment options available, whether specialist advice or hands on treatment is required."
Visitors to www.simplyhealth.co.uk/backcare are also eligible to enter a competition to win a day of massages for them and their team at their place of work from a Nuffield Health massage therapist.
Simplyhealth provides health cash plans, dental plans, self funded health plans and private medical insurance to 20,000 companies in the UK. Our plans can help recruit and retain staff, manage absence and help employers fulfil their duty of care needs.
For further information about Simplyhealth please visit www.simplyhealth.co.uk/forbusiness or call 0845 075 0063.
For further information visit:
http://www.nuffieldhealth.com/corporate-wellbeing/our-offering/on-site-health-services/physiotherapy
(i) Health and Safety Executive statistics
(ii) CIPD/Simplyhealth Absence Management Survey 2011
Notes to editors
- We became Simplyhealth in 2009 after bringing together HSA, BCWA, LHF, HealthSure, Totally Active, our family of health companies have joined together over the last ten years to form Simplyhealth
- We've been providing healthcare solutions for 140 years, dedicated to serving our customers and patients through a variety of cash plans, dental plans, private medical insurance, self funded health plans and mobility and living aids
- Simplyhealth is a trading name of Simplyhealth Access, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority Simplyhealth as it stands today, now covers nearly four million people with health plans (more than any other company) and helps 20,000 companies with their employees' health
- Simplyhealth is committed to making a positive impact on its communities. Each year, we donate over £1 million to health related charities and causes
About Nuffield Health
Nuffield Health provides expert, joined-up healthcare defined by and created for UK health consumers. We are the largest healthcare charity in the UK, providing health services for over 50 years. We are independent of Government, have no shareholders and reinvest our surplus to improve our facilities or provide public health education. We provide access to 15,000 health experts through our 31 hospitals, 65 fitness & wellbeing centres, 200 corporate facilities and 20 medical clinics to help people get healthy, and stay healthy. Nuffield Health is an award-winning not-for-profit, having won Health Investor Social Enterprise of the Year in 2010 and Private Hospital Group of the Year in 2011.
Nuffield Health is the largest provider of employee wellbeing services in the country, working with more than 1,600 employers. Nuffield Health has over 100,000 members in our 200 corporate fitness clubs, run more than 50,000 Health Screenings each year and advise many blue chip companies on how to support the wellbeing and health of their staff. For six consecutive years Nuffield Health has won the Flame Award for Integrated Corporate Wellbeing site.
Disclaimer
The information contained in these articles is intended to be for general interest, and should not be relied upon for specific conditions or complaints. You should always consult your GP or other healthcare practitioner for specific advice. The information provided is not the opinion of Simplyhealth and has been sourced through a third party.