Salford NHS – musculoskeletal conditions and back pain
| Company name | Crown Spa Hotel |
|---|---|
| Sector | Public health |
| Number of employees | 1,900 |
| Type of workforce | Clinical, clerical and support staff |
What issue was the organisation facing?
Salford Primary Care Trust set up the Working Well project to address the number of staff taking time off because of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and to help reduce direct and associated costs.
The project aimed to provide an innovative service that looked at what workers needed to help them return to, or stay in, work while also improving the overall health and well-being of all staff.
The year-long pilot project has been funded through the Health Foundation’s SHINE award for innovation in public healthcare services and carried out by Salford Community Health in collaboration with the University of Salford.
What action did the organisation take?
The Working Well project introduced a series of initiatives to help people with musculoskeletal disorders both stay in and return to work, including:
- a work-focussed assessment of the individual
- workplace assessments
- treatment from a physiotherapist or referral to another discipline, such as podiatry or counselling
- liaison with the line manager, HR or OH professional to create appropriate transitional working arrangements and provide advice on working practices
- Focus on prevention through the promotion of good health behaviours in the work place. This included information about local community health schemes and a network of ‘Health Champions’ where healthy workplace advice was passed on to volunteers from different Trust departments for them to then talk about at. This advice included information on initiatives such as Cycle-to-work Week.
Case manager Ross Whiteside said: "The service is the central hub from which a staff member can access all required health services. Importantly this includes meeting with their line manager, so they can understand the process and can help the staff member stay in work, on lighter duties for example."
What has been the impact of implementing health interventions?
Between March 2010 and 31 January 2011, 304 members of staff were referred to the service. Of those, 285 were asked to participate in the evaluation of the pilot.
This led to an improvement in workers’ psychological and physical well-being, as well as an increase in job satisfaction. Many reported that they had joined a slimming club, started taking regular exercise or were now able to do hobbies again. Managers felt they had more support to effectively manage sickness absence and had a better understanding of Vocational Rehabilitation and the importance of early access to services.
During the 12-month project, the global data showed a large reduction in musculoskeletal related sickness absence. Among the staff who accessed the Working Well Service, overall sickness absence was reduced by 49 per cent and musculoskeletal sickness absence was reduced by 79 per cent. This demonstrated a cost saving of £49,000.