Musculoskeletal at The Newry Clinic :: Physiotherapy and Sports Injuries Clinic

Musculoskeletal Case Study at The Newry Clinic

Musculoskeletal Injuries

Every year sickness absence costs industry millions of pounds.

Of these absences musculoskeletal injuries are the No. 1 Cause.

A recent survey by the British Medical Society (2006) found that every employee missed an average of 6-7 days per year due to sickness absence. For a company with a staff of approx 400 employees this equates to 2,600 potential working days lost.

The cost of these absences, which includes covering salaries of absent staff, paying overtime and providing temporary cover was £531 per employee per year in 2005. For a company with a staff of approx 400 employees this equates with £212,400 per year.

Most absences of a musculoskeletal origin can be successfully treated by physiotherapy!

What is a musculoskeletal problem?

A musculoskeletal injury / condition is any physical damage to muscles, joints, nerves, discs or ligaments in an individual

Common Musculoskeletal Injuries in the Workplace

Injuries can be either:

CUMULATIVE - a pain which gradually comes and usually with no known incident which triggers it

TRAUMATIC - there is a specific incident which has caused the injury

Examples of both

CUMULATIVE

Back or Neck Pain
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) eg Tennis Elbow, Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
Work Related Upper Limb Disorders (WRULD) eg Shoulder Tendonitis

TRAUMATIC

Cuts or Lacerations leading to possible tendon or nerve injuries and scarring
Manual Handling related injuries such as acute lower back pain or whiplash type injuries of the neckk
Slips and Falls – which can lead to soft tissue problems or occasional broken bones (most commonly wrists or ankles)
Muscle Strains and Ligament Sprains

THE PROBLEM - Musculoskeletal Injuries for ABP employees in the Workplace

“The huge cost of absence to the economy shows why so many CEOs declare that their people are their most important asset”

(John Cridland, CBI Deputy Director General 2007)

Whatever the exact nature or cause of the problem, absenteeism causes a massive financial burden on companies every year

Musculoskeletal injuries have been shown to be the No. 1 cause of absenteeism

Absenteeism causes decreased profits in several ways:

The obvious lack of personnel decreases production
Sickness pay to the absent member of staff
Increased costs to pay overtime and temporary staff to cover
Training costs for new employees
Compensation payouts for injuries sustained at work
Litigation fees and time used by key personnel to sort legal action

THE SOLUTION - The Newry Clinic Occupational Physiotherapy Service Provision

It has been shown that only 20% of people off work for six months will not return to work in the next 5 years.

A proactive approach to managing absence caused by musculoskeletal disorders in the workforce does work.

Such an approach encourages a company to foster health criteria for jobs, quick treatment for injuries and promotes open and early reporting of injuries.

How Cost Saving is Achieved

By treating the problem – as stated earlier the majority of musculoskeletal injuries respond to physiotherapy treatment from experienced practitioners – accurate diagnosis and effective treatment can significantly reduce healing time and, therefore, reduce time off work
Early Intervention – the earlier an injury and correct advice is given the quicker the recovery will be
Early intervention also prevents employees being signed off long-term by their GPs and waiting up to three months for NHS Physiotherapy
Adapted Job Role – very often an employee may not be fit for his/her job for a short time, post-injury, but could perhaps perform restricted duties or administrative roles while he/she is receiving treatment – the physiotherapist would advise employees on this
‘Return to Work Plan’ – graded rehabilitation, under guidance of physiotherapist, towards return to full duties often prevents relapse due to returning to work too soon
Decreases risk of ‘malingerers’ – early assessment and physiotherapy reports to managers will decrease chances of self-diagnosis and taking time off if not appropriate
Prevents injuries becoming chronic – early intervention and thorough / individual advice will reduce likelihood of symptoms becoming long term
Improving the work place – Physiotherapists can go ‘On Site’ and assess the work environment, making recommendations to decrease risk of injury or reduce risk of problems developing by altering the individual’s work space
Legal Requirements – Health and Safety at Work Acts / Orders, etc Common Law duties of Employers. ’the employer has an obligation to take reasonable care of all his / her employees and to guard against reasonable foreseeable risks of injury’.
On Site Physiotherapy – reduces employee time off site for physio and doctor appointments therefore increasing productivity
Off Site Physiotherapy – employees attend The Newry Clinic with a guarantee offer of an appointment within 48 hours. The Newry Clinic offers flexible appointment times such as early morning, lunch time, evenings or Saturday mornings meaning there is a minimal need for time off work
Statistical Analysis – The Newry Clinic gathers statistics for every company to which they provide a service. This helps to highlight any patterns of injuries, areas of potential risk, any training issues – these can then be analysed and action taken to combat the problems
Effective Communication – regular contact and reports will be made between the Physiotherapist / Manager / Employee / Occupational Health Doctor / Human Resources. This prevents misunderstandings, return to work too early and prevents employees ‘disappearing’ in the NHS system
Training – The Newry Clinic can provide comprehensive training to Managers / Health and Safety Officers on DSA assessment and work place assessments, as well as offering manual handling advice
Employee Perk – proactive support to injury management by managers can lead to a happier workforce and lead to increased productivity
Can Decrease Cost of Compensation Payouts – by reducing the time off work and reducing effects of disability from injury
Prevents Chronic Problems from Developing

How Do We Provide The Service?

Proposals

Ad Hoc Referrals

Employee assessment / treatment at The Newry Clinic
Appointments available within 48 hours
Monthly invoice

Off-site Contract

Employee assessment / treatment at The Newry Clinic
Statistics kept e.g. days absent, etc
Written report to line managers after assessment (prognosis, estimated time off, altered duties, etc)
Up-to-date report after certain number of sessions
Limit to number of treatment sessions, if required (re-authorise if necessary)
Appointments available within 48 hours
Monthly invoice

On-site Contract

Room provided on factory site
Room equipped by The Newry Clinic
Statistics logged and presented
Written reports to line managers
Six moths trial period
Based on a site of your size we recommend two physio sessions of three hours duration per week, i.e. six hours per week

Benefits of On-site Physiotherapist

Easily accessible for employee – reduced travel time, etc
Communications more flexible, eg with managers / doctor
Easier for physiotherapist to adjust / advise on employee duties, eg factory walk

Display Screen Equipment Assessment

Full assessment and recommendations presented in written report
Advice available on purchasing of ergonomic equipment in line with legal requirements