Working while ill is rife in the public sector with more than half of staff saying they are too busy to take time off, a new survey has found.
One in five have missed health check ups, 14% have postponed hospital appointments and two-fifths have put off going to the doctor in order to go to work.
Almost half of those surveyed by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) admitted work has been detrimental to their health with close to a quarter fearing job-related stress could lead to a heart attack.
The charity has called on employers to take action by making health in the workplace a priority.
Lisa Young, project manager for the BHF’s Health at Work programme, said: ‘This research is another reminder that health and wellbeing at work isn’t taken seriously enough, with millions of people putting their health at risk because of the stresses of their job.??
‘Delaying medical attention no matter what your ailment can come at a terrible cost, not only to people's long-term health but also to businesses.??
‘From working with more than 9,500 organisations across the UK, we’ve seen the businesses that invest in health at work reap the rewards of improved productivity, less sickness absence, higher retention and a healthier bottom line. Making this a higher priority should be a simple business decision.’
