WORKOUT AT WORK DAY

That this House notes with concern that the economic cost to society in sickness absence due to musculoskeletal conditions is 7.4 billion a year and that 50 per cent. of people on incapacity benefit suffer from musculoskeletal problems; further notes research by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy found that 36 per cent. of employees worked through their lunch break and 31 per cent. experienced pain at work at least once a week; believes these economic and personal costs could be greatly reduced by encouraging better working habits, and providing early access to services, such as physiotherapy, for people who develop musculoskeletal conditions; welcomes the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy's Workout at Work Day initiative on 8th September 2011, to mark World Physical Therapy Day and raise awareness amongst employers of the importance of encouraging activity in the workplace; and calls on businesses to ensure employees have access to a range of early intervention services, including physiotherapy, to help deliver improvements in health and public health outcomes.