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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| NHS staff offered Zumba to stay healthy | NHS staff offered Zumba to stay healthy |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| NHS staff will be offered exercise classes in a bid to keep them fit and in work, NHS England's chief executive is set to announce. | NHS staff will be offered exercise classes in a bid to keep them fit and in work, NHS England's chief executive is set to announce. |
| Simon Stevens will outline his £5m solution for cutting the NHS bill for staff sickness, which currently stands at £2.4bn a year. | Simon Stevens will outline his £5m solution for cutting the NHS bill for staff sickness, which currently stands at £2.4bn a year. |
| He will say hospitals can help staff stay well by serving healthy food and running Zumba and yoga classes. | He will say hospitals can help staff stay well by serving healthy food and running Zumba and yoga classes. |
| He will add that GPs should be offered specialist support to avoid burnout. | He will add that GPs should be offered specialist support to avoid burnout. |
| Creating healthy and supportive workplaces is no longer a "nice to have, it's a must do", he will tell the NHS Innovation Expo conference in Manchester. | Creating healthy and supportive workplaces is no longer a "nice to have, it's a must do", he will tell the NHS Innovation Expo conference in Manchester. |
| Organisations will be asked to provide staff access to physiotherapy, smoking cessation and weight management services, as well as sports or exercise classes. | Organisations will be asked to provide staff access to physiotherapy, smoking cessation and weight management services, as well as sports or exercise classes. |
| And they should offer health checks for mental health and musculoskeletal problems - the two biggest causes of sickness absence across the NHS. | And they should offer health checks for mental health and musculoskeletal problems - the two biggest causes of sickness absence across the NHS. |
| 'Demanding jobs' | 'Demanding jobs' |
| Mr Stevens will say: "NHS staff have some of the most critical but demanding jobs in the country. | Mr Stevens will say: "NHS staff have some of the most critical but demanding jobs in the country. |
| "When it comes to supporting the health of our own workforce, frankly the NHS needs to put its own house in order." | "When it comes to supporting the health of our own workforce, frankly the NHS needs to put its own house in order." |
| How do NHS staff absence rates compare? | |
| NHS staff sickness rates are actually falling, according to data from the Health and Social Care Information Centre. | |
| Last year 4.25% of working days were lost - down from 4.4% in 2009-10. | |
| The highest rates were seen among ambulance staff, nurses and healthcare assistants. | |
| But despite this improvement health staff are nearly twice as likely to be off sick as people working in the private sector. | |
| That may seem a lot, but experts warn direct comparisons are difficult because NHS staff work in an environment that means they are more likely to be exposed to risk factors such as infectious diseases, traumatic experiences and assault. | |
| The money saved on reducing staff sickness can be spent on services for the public and the healthier habits picked up by public-sector employees can be passed on to the people they serve, says Public Health England. | The money saved on reducing staff sickness can be spent on services for the public and the healthier habits picked up by public-sector employees can be passed on to the people they serve, says Public Health England. |
| Christina McAnea, from Unison, said: "The health and wellbeing of NHS staff at work has a direct impact on patients, and this initiative rightly starts recognising that. | Christina McAnea, from Unison, said: "The health and wellbeing of NHS staff at work has a direct impact on patients, and this initiative rightly starts recognising that. |
| "Addressing physical and mental health issues is important and a step in the right direction as it will help tackle some of the major causes of stress at work. | "Addressing physical and mental health issues is important and a step in the right direction as it will help tackle some of the major causes of stress at work. |
| "NHS staff experience some of the highest levels of stress and violence in the country, and this can no longer be tolerated. | "NHS staff experience some of the highest levels of stress and violence in the country, and this can no longer be tolerated. |
| "Health unions will be working with employers and NHS England on these issues." | "Health unions will be working with employers and NHS England on these issues." |