26 Sep 2017

How to help employees improve both physical and mental health

It perhaps comes as no surprise that stress and mental health issues appear, year after year, in the top four causes of long-term absence, alongside acute medical conditions and musculoskeletal injuries - as reported by the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development's (CIPD's) annual Absence management survey.

Long-term conditions, coupled with depression, are a significant and growing challenge for employers, not to mention the additional strain put on the health and social care services. According to figures from Public Health England, depression is four times more common among people in persistent pain compared to those without pain.

The reverse is also true, in that people with depression are at greater risk of developing back pain. What's more, people with musculoskeletal conditions are less likely to be employed than people in good health and are more likely to retire early, says Public Health England.

In spite of this, it's not always the case that both physical and mental health support is readily available from employers, either from a preventative or a rehabilitation perspective. It's even less likely that it is something that is provided to the whole workforce due partly to the costs associated but also often due to a lack of strategic focus. The stigma around mental health problems also presents a barrier to many people who might need support in actually seeking it out the help they need.

Straight from the experts

"Physical and mental health are intrinsically linked," says Mark Fletcher, clinical director at Physio Med. "40% of the patients we see have back pain - 80% of which is caused by mechanical problems. Whilst this is an obvious physical problem, we also need to be mindful of the psychosocial impact on someone who is suffering from pain in their day-to-day life: this can often be worse than the physical pain. They can no longer do everything they usually like to do. It may be difficult to drive their car, do hobbies, or enjoy family life. They are probably having difficulties sleeping due to the pain or their GP might have prescribed strong painkillers, which may cause side effects.

Added to all of this is the fact that they may be off work. In some cases, this can create additional financial pressures. In treatment, we often see a change in an individual's personality as they are starting to feel better."

Improving accessibility

Physio Med recently partnered with Health Shield. Specialising in occupational physiotherapy, it has a network that extends to 780 clinics and 2,500 physiotherapists and gives employees direct access or via an Occupational Health referral from their employer.

"Access depends on the model the employer chooses," says Paul Wimpenny, clinical governance officer at Physio Med. "We deal with public sector clients who want their employees to have direct access to a physiotherapist either via phone or face-to-face, who can assess, treat and liaise with their GP, without the need for a referral. Other clients have their own Occupational Health departments who make the referral, in effect carrying out part of the triage."

"By accessing physiotherapy quickly, the problem is often lessened, sometimes simply on the receipt of a firm diagnosis and a timescale for recovery. It's greatly empowering and comforting just to find out what's wrong and this in itself can have a profound, positive impact psychologically. The key for us, as healthcare professionals, is to be mindful of an individual's physical and psychological symptoms in equal measure."

This view aligns with the government vision of shared care and "no decision about me without me", as outlined in a report by a coalition of UK charities entitled Twice as likely: putting long term conditions and depression on the agenda. This includes guidance for healthcare professionals and frontline staff on improving the dialogue with people suffering from long-term conditions. It states: "The dialogue should enable and empower people to live with their long-term condition, and address the psychological and emotional challenges they may experience".

From an employer perspective, this means considering the entire wellbeing of an employee and not just acknowledging the physical symptoms. The business case is clear: a supported employee will not only enjoy a smoother return to full capacity and work, but is also likely to be more engaged, more productive and feel greater loyalty towards their employer.

3 steps to better physical and mental health

1) Exercise

Encourage regular physical activity and exercise at every stage in life to help reduce the risk of many musculoskeletal issues. Indeed, many of the National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on physical activity to prevent disease or improve health are directly relevant to musculoskeletal health.

2) Diet

A healthy, balanced diet is important for good bone health to prevent osteoporosis and the impact of falls in later life.

3) Assess the environment

In the workplace, look at ways to reduce threats to musculoskeletal health, including adapting physical environments and work practices as well as implementing an early intervention strategy to identify and address problems.

This article was provided by Health Shield.