Absence from work due to ill health and injury costs the nation an estimated 40 million working days and an estimated £12bn a year.

Sickness and injury absence costs the public sector around £4bn a year. Workers in the private sector average around 6 days a year each, whilst around 12 days a year are taken by those who work in the public sector, including the NHS.

Stress-related conditions, mental health problems and musculoskeletal disorders, including back pain, are the most common reasons for people to be off sick.

The two largest groups receiving Incapacity Benefit are people with mental health problems (44%) and people with musculoskeletal disorders (26%). £30,000,000 is paid every week to those with musculoskeletal conditions alone.

31% of adults in the UK have had neck pain in the past month and 48% of neck pain patients report persistent pain one year later.

Once a person has been claiming Incapacity Benefit for 12 months, the average duration of their claim will be eight years and after two years they are more likely to die or retire than return to work.

All major health insurers (Norwich Union, AXA PPP, Spire and WHA for example) now cover the costs of acupuncture and chiropractic. Chiropractic treatment is ideal for employees whose jobs involve regular lifting or who sit for long periods of time.

A Primary Care Trust audit of a chiropractic service in Wilmslow has found that for every 22 patients referred, £10,000 was saved – 8 out of 10 patients waiting for orthopaedic appointments no longer required them. (Source :Impact web site)