Work helps recovery from long-term sickness, says HSE

Returning to work as soon possible after illness is the best possible remedy for getting back to full health, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has said.

According to its new guidance published today, long-term sickness absence, defined as four weeks or more, is a significant burden to employers in the private and public sectors – resulting in mounting sick pay, recruitment costs and high workloads for colleagues. The HSE said that staying at home longer than absolutely necessary can make the situation worse.

The guidance contains advice on how employers and employees can work together to hasten a successful return to work. Research shows that companies in the UK and USA have made big savings through return to work programmes.

"Work is essential to health and well-being; inability to work brings on more health problems, physical and mental. And the longer people are off, the less likely is their return: one-in-five people off sick for six weeks will remain off work and eventually leave paid employment," the HSE said.

The CBI has estimated that 33% of working days lost due to sickness are accounted for by long-term sickness absence (defined as 20 working days or more) at a cost of £3.8 billion a year. Yet it involves only 1-in-20 employees, most of whom do not have serious illness but are suffering from common health problems such as depression and anxiety or muscle, joint and back pain. Research has shown that overcoming non-medical barriers, such as job design and poor communication between employee and employer, is crucial.

Jane Kennedy, Minister of State for Work, said: "For too many people long-term sickness absence leads to the spectre of unnecessary job loss, continued ill health and social exclusion. A culture exists where long-term sickness absence is accepted as a fact of life.

She added: "We need to change this culture and so I am delighted to be able to welcome and support the launch today of the Health and Safety Executive's approach for managing sickness absence and return to work, part of the Framework for Vocational Rehabilitation."

(gmcg)