"These days, employers are managing multigenerational workforces. As we all become increasingly confident with technology, digital health & wellbeing services can empower employees of every age to take charge of their health."
- Saumya Barber, Head of Proposition Development at Unum UK
98% of physiotherapy appointments were offered within two days of a policyholder placing a request; back, neck and shoulder issues were the most common reason to book an appointment. Notably, 13% of physiotherapy appointments held via Help@hand were for adults aged 55 or above – in 2020, only 6% of remote physiotherapy appointments were booked by this age group.
These findings align with research conducted by Simplyhealth earlier this year, revealing that 29% of employees in the UK have considered quitting their jobs due to back pain. Of those surveyed (4,000), 42% of employees didn’t have access to physiotherapy support through their workplace despite 41% either experiencing back or muscle pain. A fifth of employees said workplace benefits that offered access to physiotherapy would make them happier (20%) and more productive (17%).
READ MORE: Simplyhealth launch new corporate category for Health Plan with physiotherapy partnership
Claudia Nicholls, Chief Customer Officer at Simplyhealth, said “We all need to do more to support people to stay well at work, particularly when getting access to healthcare remains a key issue.” She believes these recent findings demonstrate that the one-size-fits-all solution is no longer appropriate and whatever the sector, “employers need the right services to keep their employees healthy, happy, and productive.”
Commenting on Unum UK’s figures, Saumya Barber, Head of Proposition Development at Unum UK, said “Our data shows more and more people opting for digital health & wellbeing services, rather than waiting for in-person appointments. This allows quicker, easier access to physiotherapy, helping to address musculoskeletal (MSK) issues early and reduce the need for prolonged work absences.”
She highlighted: “Research by Ascenti has shown that early intervention is critical when it comes to MSK concerns and remote physiotherapy sessions are an effective & appropriate method of care for most non-complex MSK conditions, such as sprains and strains, tendonitis, or lower back pain. We’re now seeing employees link these two concepts.
“These days, employers are managing multigenerational workforces. As we all become increasingly confident with technology, digital health & wellbeing services can empower employees of every age to take charge of their health,” Saumya concluded.
