Musculoskeletal disorders support needed

A 2012 survey by the Work Foundation, Taking the strain: the impact of musculoskeletal disorders on work and home life, suggests that the clinical support available to individuals with MSDs is often insufficient to keep them in work. The research found that it took an average of more than four years to diagnose an MSD. Even after diagnosis, one in 10 had to wait more than a year to receive treatment, and only half of respondents had discussed their employment with a GP. The report also found that individuals with MSDs face being trapped in low quality jobs that do not match their level of skills.

The findings raise concerns about employers making reasonable adjustments to accommodate the needs of employees with MSDs. One in three respondents had received no form of adjustment to their working time, work environment, or work duties when they required it.

The report drew on a survey of more than 800 people living with MSDs and revealed that:

• just over half of employed respondents reported a loss of earnings due to the condition;

• three-quarters of retired respondents said their condition had influenced their decision to retire, with the majority having left the labour market before reaching the age of fifty-five;

• of those not in work, 57% had been the primary earner for their household before leaving a paid job and two-thirds of these households now rely on welfare support;

• one in four reported concerns about remaining in work due to their condition; and

• on average, respondents experienced 44% productivity loss at work.