Sickness-hit firms set to offer private health perks to get employees back to work faster

A study found one in four employers have been frustrated by long NHS waiting lists - currently 7.6 million people - keeping workers on the sick for lengthy periods of time.

Half of businesses surveyed were concerned by wait times - and a quarter plan to get round this by paying for private treatments.

The research, by public policy research charity Future Health, also highlighted the nation's poor health, with three in 10 firms seeing a rise in sickness rates in the last year. It estimates around 3.7 million people in employment suffer work-limiting conditions, up over 1.4 million in a decade.

It says business costs have risen as a result because staff are not performing at their best due to illness or a mental health condition.

The report estimates this "healthy pay gap" has cut earnings by 15 per cent. Lower productivity due to poor health is estimated to cost the UK £150billion a year. Richard Sloggett, an ex-government special adviser, now Future Health programme director, said: "These findings show the poor health of the nation and long wait lists are a handbrake on growth.

"The Government needs to respond with a clear offer to businesses that incentivises employee health-related investment, and supports small and medium-sized businesses in expanding health offerings to staff. Growth will continue to be anaemic unless we get Britain's workforce healthier."

A Government spokesperson said: "We have seen record numbers of people excluded from the workforce citing long-term sickness and economic inactivity. Healthy businesses depend on a healthy workforce, and a strong economy depends on a strong NHS. By cutting waiting lists, improving access and taking bold action on public health, we can get Britain back to health and back to work.

"Our £64m Work Well pilot will connect 59,000 people to support services including physiotherapy and counselling."

A government spokesperson said: "We have seen record numbers of people excluded from the workforce citing long-term sickness and economic inactivity.

"Healthy businesses depend on a healthy workforce, and a strong economy depends on a strong NHS.

"By cutting waiting lists, improving access and taking bold action on public health, we can get Britain back to health and back to work.

"We have made a strong start, launching our £64million Work Well pilot which will connect 59,000 people to local support services including physiotherapy and counselling."