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Glasgow Council saves millions through reducing sickness absence
8 January 2007
Glasgow City Council has saved £4.5 million with a scheme to reduce sickness absence among its 38,000 employees.
The council has now won the prestigious Zurich Municipal Scheme Safety Award for its ‘Maximising Attendance’ programme, which was designed with help from staff at the Bupa Wellness centre in the city.
The Wellness team provides a range of services to Glasgow Council to help them identify long-term absence problems at the earliest stage and give the most appropriate advice to get people back to work quickly.
Two of the biggest reasons for absence were psychological issues like stress and musculoskeletal problems including bad backs.
Carol Davidson, Regional Manager for Bupa Wellness in Scotland and Northern Ireland, said: “Staff are referred to our clinicians, usually an occupational health adviser, physician or physiotherapist, we make an assessment and give support to staff and training to managers so they can help assist people back to work and identify any future health issues.”
A spokesman for Glasgow Council said: “The ‘Maximising Attendance’ programme has worked really well and we are pleased to offer our employees access to the appropriate clinicians to help them return to work with the correct assistance.”
To complement the ‘Maximising Attendance’ programme Bupa Wellness (awarded Best Occupational Health Provider 2006 by Health Insurance Magazine Awards) also offers employees lifestyle screening programmes, backcare initiatives and exercise referral schemes.
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