Just found this article on the Government news network. I seem to remember that before the introduction of Incapacity Benefit there was asimilar spin going on, trying to assert that millions of claimants were on the "sick" (Invalidity Benefit) with a bad back.

"- HSE launches campaign to make bad backs 'Better Backs'-

British business loses an estimated 4.9 million days to employee absenteeism through work-related back conditions each year, with each affected employee taking an average of 19 days off work, according to the latest figures from the 2003/4 Labour Force Survey.

In the North West it is estimated that 60,000 people currently report a back injury caused or made worse by work.

The charity BackCare meanwhile estimates the overall cost of back pain - to the NHS, business and the economy - at £5 billion per year.

Against this background the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is launching its 'Better Backs' campaign on 6 June. The campaign will offer concise, practical tips on how to avoid back-related injuries in the workplace to both businesses and employees via a dedicated microsite (http://www.betterbacks.hse.gov.uk) and helpline 0845 345 0055.

Visiting the North East today Lord Hunt, Work and Pensions Minister said:

"Occupational ill health and injury accounts for 40 million working days lost with back pain alone accounting for 4.9 million. The effects on those businesses and individuals is almost incalculable. It's not only impacting on business' profits its affecting productivity and stopping employees' enjoying their social life.

"Everyone needs to take responsibility for tackling this issue - and by taking simple, sensible precautions in work and at home we can collectively work to reduce the misery of back pain."

The prevalence of work-related back conditions is fairly even across the counties and regions of Great Britain, with around one person in every hundred affected. Only the North East has a clearly higher rate, perhaps due to its history of coal mining and other heavy industry.

Regional Breakdown of Work-related Back conditions


Government office Estimated prevalence rate i.e. Rate per 100 ever
region within the number of people currently employed
Great Britain reporting back injury caused
or made worse by work
Great Britain 409,000 1.1
(average)
North East 37,000 2.0
North West 60,000 1.2
Yorkshire and 38,000 1.0
Humber
East Midlands 37,000 1.2
West Midlands 42,000 1.1
East 41,000 0.98
London 50,000 0.99
South East 55,000 0.91
South West 48,000 1.3
England 26,000 1.1
Wales 33,000 1.2
Scotland 468,000 0.86







Please note that all figures are estimated and relate to Musculo Skeletal Disorders (MSDs) mainly affecting the back, caused or made ill by work, by country and government office region within England, for people ever employed.

The overriding point is that no region escapes back problems. Anyone, anywhere, can get a bad back, and it continues to be the biggest cause of employee absence.

Lord Hunt added: "The financial impact of back pain is enormous so our message to everyone is clear - A bad back could cost you more than you think.

"There is a misconception that preventative health and safety initiatives are costly and difficult to implement, but in fact many are extremely cost effective and will save businesses from losing revenue through staff absenteeism, as well as increasing productivity."

Notes to Editors:

The Health and Safety Executive

Britain's Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are responsible for the regulation of almost all the risks to health and safety arising from work activity in Britain.

Better Backs Campaign

The HSE is running a major national initiative this summer focussed on reducing the incidence of back pain at work. Currently manual handling is a major cause of back injury. As many as 1 in 6 work-related sickness absences are due to bad backs - bad both for people and for business. The overall aim of the Backs! 2005 initiative is to promote the use of lifting and handling aids as a means of reducing the incidence of back injuries at work. The main phase of the Backs! 2005 campaign will involve a nationally co-ordinated publicity, education and inspection programme over a 4 week period from 13 June to 8 July. The programme is being developed in partnership with Local Authorities and other stakeholders and will help encourage sensible ways of reducing work-related back problems. Self-reported work-related illness in 2003/04: Results from the Labour Force Survey The full findings from SWI03/04 were published on 26 May 2005 and can be accessed on the HSE website: http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/swi0304.pdf

Lord Hunt

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath is the Work and Pensions Minister with responsibility for the Health and Safety Executive.

PUBLIC ENQUIRIES: Call HSE's InfoLine, Tel: 08701 545500."

Whilst not wishing to appear churlish, wasn't our esteemed Leader suffering from a really bad back not so long ago - I seem to recall a newspaper article to the effect that he had been told lie down and rest in the peace and tranquility of Chequers - do you suppose that a PM has to self certificate...............


definitions (2)

PERCUSSIVE MAINTENANCE - The fine art of whacking the **** out of an electronic device to get it to work again.

A government press release today announced that the government had no plans for reforming bad backs. A government spokesman said, “ may I take this opportunity once and for all to scotch this scurrilous rumour that the government plans to interfere with people with bad backs. I can say with total confidence that this government has no plans to fund a nationwide network of dominatrixes to walk on people’s backs. Investing money in the private healthcare system in this way is not the most efficient use of public money”. He later added, “ a man’s relationship with his back is his own private affair, as is his relationship with his dominatrix”.

“ a man’s relationship with his back is his own private affair, as is his relationship with his dominatrix”.

not if he's a Minister of the Goverment or the cloth, and the tabloids get hold of the photo's it isn't......




Definitions (3)

SALMON DAY - The experience of spending an entire Friday swimming upstream only to get s*****d and die.

"A government press release today announced that the government had no plans for reforming bad backs."

Delighted to hear it. But given that the mischief was done when we decided to walk upright, I'm not sure there's much that they could have done anyway. Unless they plan to make knuckle-walking compulsory-- after it has been piloted by a Cabinet committee, of course.

Just you just love Fridays........it brings out the best in an Adviser methinks........

The Daily Rag today published details from a leaked government dossier, known as the dodgy back dossier, regarding bad backs.

The dossier exposes the government’s real plans regarding Incapacity Benefit claimants and bad backs. It shows that the government does have plans to install dominatrixes in GP surgeries to walk on the backs of back pain sufferers. Claimants will be able to access the services of a dominatrix within 45 minutes of being patronised by the practice manager.

The scheme will initially be piloted in 4 areas – Flogham, Whipcrack, Punishem and Hurtem-on-the-hill. If successful the scheme will be rolled out nationally in 2051. No one from the government was available for comment.

Lord Hutton is 123 today.

I thought strees was this season's bad back

No, stress is the new black!