7.6 million working days are lost every year due to work related musculoskeletal disorders. We can help prevent back pain becoming a problem for your business.

1. Key facts Factsheet
An estimated 583,000 people in Great Britain suffer
from a musculoskeletal disorder they believe was
caused or made worse by work.
We can help prevent
Source: Health and Safety Executive statistics
Musculoskeletal injuries make up 57% of long-term
back pain becoming
absence for manual workers and 46% of
non-manual workers.
a problem for your
Source: CIPD Absence Management Survey 2011
7.6 million working days are lost every year due to
business
work related musculoskeletal disorders.
Source: Health and Safety Executive statistics
44% of all work related illnesses are musculoskeletal
disorders, with agricultural, construction and postal
and courier industries seeing the highest rates.
Source: Health and Safety Executive statistics
Back pain is one of the most common
musculoskeletal problems. Alongside the upper
limbs, they make up 80% of all issues.
Source: Health and Safety Executive statistics
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to call us on
0845 075 0063
visit www.simplyhealth.co.uk/forbusiness
or email us: forbusiness@simplyhealth.co.uk
For more information on musculoskeletal disorders
visit www.simplyhealth.co.uk/backcare
www.simplyhealth.co.uk/socialmedia
1207024
Simplyhealth is a trading name of Simplyhealth Access, registered and incorporated in England and Wales, No.183035.
Registered office: Hambleden House, Waterloo Court, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 1LQ. Authorised and regulated by the
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2. What you can do What we can do to help you How we do it
Dealing with back pain How a plan from Simplyhealth Here’s an example of
1. Get your staff involved can help how it works
Talking to your staff about ways to
counter back pain is good because
Simplyhealth plans are flexible enough to suit the needs of your business
and your budget. They can help you address problem areas including
“ One of our associate directors was involved in a minor road traffic
accident that threw his back out. Under the plan he was able to claim
„
they know what they find difficult and sickness absence and help your employees feel valued. money back for the regular osteopathy treatment he needed. He was
often have good ideas about how to really grateful and wonderfully impressed that he could provide bank
Evidence shows
improve things. that good relationships details and be paid directly into his account.
Involving employees and safety between employers and
Basic Simply Cash Plan
employees are important in
representatives in discussions about plan Our plan covers your employees for everyday treatments Gerry Scrase, Financial Controller, David Lock Associates
the successful management
how to improve health and safety will of back pain problems and starts from just £1 per employee, per week.
also make it easier to agree changes, Source: HSE The basic plan lets employees claim £150 annually
and employees will be more likely
Here’s how we’ve
towards treatments including physiotherapy, chiropractic,
to follow procedures that they have osteopathy and acupuncture.
helped to design. It also provides up to £500 annually towards the cost of
diagnostic consultations and scans. helped others
“
2. Assess the risks and find ways to
avoid or reduce them The Trustees recognise that healthy staff work more efficiently,
and encourage our staff to take advantage of all elements of the policy,
Five steps to assessing risk in your business: including responding to the first twinges of back pain with chiropractic,
Choice 4 - Managing absence
„
Step 1 - Identify the hazards physiotherapy or osteopathy treatment. The fact that there is no need
(25p per employee per week) for a GP referral and no excess removes two of the main barriers to early
Step 2 - Decide who might be harmed and how • Telephone access to Human Resources experts action.
Step 3 - Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions • Help with getting employees back to work
Julie Alsford, Director of Finance, Age Concern
Step 4 - Record your findings and implement them • Provides expertise in occupational health, nursing,
osteopathy and physiotherapy
Step 5 - Review your assessment and update if necessary
3. Know what your obligations are
as an employer
• Keep a record and analyse sickness absence so you can spot any
Simply medical insurance
trends early An effective way to give your employees access to diagnosis and
treatment. We have a number of options depending on the size
• Use an occupational health provider if you are worried about the
and needs of your business.
number of employees affected by back pain
• Invest in effective sickness absence management Preferential
Our most comprehensive option that provides extensive levels of
The Health and Safety Executive website has a wealth of information like medical cover, benefits and associated services.
this about minimising risk in your business and gives guidance on specific
Accessible
industries:
An ideal starting point for health cover providing excellent value for
www.hse.gov.uk money and a wide range of medical benefits.