Physiotherapy Can Help Tackle Long-Term Sickness Absence

Organisations should be making the health and well-being of their staff a core priority, and using interventions like physiotherapy to help people return to work. This is according to new guidance on workplace health, published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

It covers how to help people return to work after long-term sickness absence, reduce recurring sickness absence, and help prevent people moving from short-term to long-term sickness absence.

The guideline emphasises that all employers should have measures in place to ensure a ‘smooth and sustainable’ return to work for people who are returning after a long period of absence. And for those who have been absent with musculoskeletal conditions, NICE advises that a programme of physiotherapy-led graded activity should be considered as a suitable intervention.