Back to Work

Absence from work due to ill health and injury costs the nation an estimated 40 million working days and an estimated £12bn a year. Sickness and injury absence costs the public sector around £4bn a year. Workers in the private sector average around 6 days a year each, whilst around 12 days a year are taken by those who work in the public sector, including the NHS. Stress-related conditions, mental health problems and musculoskeletal disorders, including back pain, are the most common reasons for people to be off sick. The two largest groups receiving Incapacity Benefit are people with mental health problems (44%) and people with musculoskeletal disorders (26%). £30,000,000 is paid every week to those with musculoskeletal conditions alone.

Fact: Every £1 spent on promoting health in the workplace can lead to a saving of £2.50 for employers

Any health problem can have a major impact on people’s lives and their ability to work. Even relatively common health problems can have a disproportionate effect if investigation and treatment are delayed. This can lead to long term absence, loss of self-confidence and even job loss, with the common difficulty of getting back to work again. Once a person has been claiming Incapacity Benefit for 12 months, the average duration of their claim will be eight years – and after two years they are more likely to die or retire than return to work.

“I would have lost my job if it wasn’t for acupuncture, through being depressed, you know, I think I would have been signed off and I don’t think I would have returned to work through that cycle of thinking, I can’t do this, I can’t possibly go back.”
Impact film 2005

At Impact, we treat back pain, common stress-related and mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, musculoskeletal disorders, chronic pain and menstrual and gynaecological problems. We have independently-evaluated evidence of our positive outcomes with patients with these conditions, who experience significant improvements in their health and wellbeing following treatment here.

“After many years of seeking help from the NHS and surgeries at the company I used to work for my back condition continued to worsen and my mobility was becoming seriously compromised. Fortunately I heard about the services offered by Impact and after several visits my problems have lessened considerably.”
Impact comments book

 

Impact’s Back to Work programme

Helping people manage minor health problems in work.
Sprains and strains often reduce a person’s capacity to do their job effectively in the short term. Left untreated, a minor injury can become a major problem, leading to absence from work. Access to appropriate and swift treatment will enable employees to remain in work.

Fact: 5% of NHS staff surveyed had more than 20 days off in a year due to back pain

Helping people return to health

After a long-term absence from work caused by stress, illness or injury it can be difficult to return to work, even when the original health problem has been dealt with or is under control. A high proportion of Impacts’ patients suffer from long term conditions and have experienced significant improvements in their health as a result of treatment. We can help employees who are on long term sick leave to return to work, and stay in work.

“So I started having these weekly sessions and following some of the exercises that she said and it was amazing – she really picked out the problem, worked on that on my back and on my neck, but mainly on my back, and I think within four weeks I was back at work.”
Impact film 2005

Most health insurers now cover the costs of acupuncture, chiropractic and homeopathy. The Impact team is able to tailor-make packages of care to suit the needs of your workforce. Chiropractic treatment, for example, is ideal for employees whose jobs involve regular lifting or who sit for long periods of time. People who are suffering anxiety, depression or other stress-related mental health conditions are likely to benefit from homeopathy. We can work with your organisation to devise effective, innovative strategies for keeping your workforce healthy.