Stress and depression top benefit claims
April 7, 2005
Stress and depression have overtaken back pain as Britain's top claims for incapacity benefit, according to new figures.
The common mental disorders now account for more excuses for long term sickness than the traditional spinal complaints.
Work absence is a major public health and economic problem with a staggering 176 million days lost in 2003, up 10 million on the previous year.
Each year, £13 billion is spent on benefits, and the reduction of long term sick leave is now a leading government priority.
Until recently, the most common causes of long term sickness absence were musculoskeletal disorders, in particular low back pain, but over the last decade, the contribution of psychiatric disorders has increased markedly.
Psychiatrists Dr Max Henderson and Dr Nicholas Glozier, writing in the British Medical Journal, say since 1995 the number of people reporting stress that was caused or made worse by their work has doubled - making common mental disorders now the leading cause of sickness absence.
These disorders are managed almost entirely in primary care, but with limited capacity for psychological therapies, waiting times are often long.
Dr Henderson, of the Institute of Psychiatry, London, and Dr Glozier, of King's College Hospital NHS Trust, London, said the United Kingdom also has very poor provision of occupational physicians - one specialist for every 43,000 workers - compared with the rest of Europe.
They said: "Not uncommonly, a position develops where an individual has recovered sufficiently to consider returning to work but perceives that exposure to his employers, colleagues, or other aspects of work will lead to a relapse.
"General practitioners can have difficulty linking with employers to effect vocational rehabilitation and, as the patient's advocate, may feel uncomfortable recommending returning to work in this situation."
They said that both employers and patients require a speedier response than is currently delivered, as the longer an individual remains off work, the more difficult a return becomes.
Added the psychiatrists: "If the government is serious about tackling the consequences of common mental disorders then innovative policies, including a major expansion in occupational health and psychological therapy services in primary care, will be required alongside research into the most effective and cost effective methods of delivering service.
"This would be a wise investment given the substantial economic and social costs engendered by the current service framework."
This story first appeared on the Life Style Extra website.
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