Cycling UK Forum

In my experience, surroundings, family, friends, neighbours many of those on long term sick leave were / are down to stress related issues.

Yes, worry and stress are under-rated, huge factors, imo.

Since early 2020, many have been unduly stressed by events:

... children and adults were removed from their education and work places, threatened by the State agencies into remaining isolated and indoors while being paid by the State, fear was (deliberately) ramped up... Europe at war, then the sustained wave of high levels of excess deaths, chronic disease and disability as Covid infections dwindled to low numbers... double figure inflation levels has completed a four year period which forms a remarkable set of events...

The ensuing ill health and poverty for many has been mentioned by Gordon Brown, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... -in-the-uk

mjr wrote: ↑8 Feb 2024, 12:50pm …… It's been rare that any has stopped me working.

Quite

531colin wrote: ↑8 Feb 2024, 5:46pm

mjr wrote: ↑8 Feb 2024, 12:50pm …… It's been rare that any has stopped me working.

Quite

I'm not sure that the logic "I have always been fit to work therefore everyone not so is a malingerer" is helpful.

Perhaps starting with empathy could be?

roubaixtuesday wrote: ↑8 Feb 2024, 5:59pm

531colin wrote: ↑8 Feb 2024, 5:46pm

mjr wrote: ↑8 Feb 2024, 12:50pm …… It's been rare that any has stopped me working.

Quite

I'm not sure that the logic "I have always been fit to work therefore everyone not so is a malingerer" is helpful.

Perhaps starting with empathy could be?

I haven't always been fit to work, have you?
Will your empathy lower my blood pressure?
Before my hands were arthritic, I could fit bike tyres or build bike wheels all day, will the magic of your empathy mean that I will be able to hold a paintbrush for more than an hour?
Malingerer is, I think, your word, not mine.

"Rishi Sunak sets out plans to tackle 'sick note culture'":
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68853166

This is a very stupid way to approach complex problems, because everything immediately becomes partisan.

Jonathan

Jdsk wrote: ↑21 Apr 2024, 10:35am "Rishi Sunak sets out plans to tackle 'sick note culture'":
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68853166

This is a very stupid way to approach complex problems, because everything immediately becomes partisan.

Jonathan

Simply a back door way to introduce assisted dying via workhouses? There will be resources sufficient only to stop benefits, not to have any help to get people into jobs they might actually DO.
The process will probably be operated by AI.

Jdsk wrote: ↑21 Apr 2024, 10:35am "Rishi Sunak sets out plans to tackle 'sick note culture'":
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68853166

A poorly informed, uncaring and knee jerk reaction for his own political ends that won’t do much useful for the sick and those loaded with health problems. The better way would be to make people better rather than beating them for having mental or physical problems. We’re going backwards, at one point we understood the value of good health for all; unfortunately the investment needed for such a well functioning society is now seen as just another expense …

Finally a measured analysis of the problem: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68849843

Three major factors, an ageing workforce (older people are sicker), social deprivation and disease (especially diabetes), mental stress associated with finance and COVID disproportionately affecting the young.

Stradageek wrote: ↑22 Apr 2024, 8:26am Finally a measured analysis of the problem: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68849843

Three major factors, an ageing workforce (older people are sicker), social deprivation and disease (especially diabetes), mental stress associated with finance and COVID disproportionately affecting the young.

Thanks for that.

The Health Foundation's report that's cited in that: "What we know about the UK’s working-age health challenge":
https://www.health.org.uk/publications/ ... -challenge

And this is one of the steps to addressing the problem: study what's actually *known, not what politicians say or what media report or what we recall through rose-tinted spectacles.

Jonathan

* Which will also reveal what's not known.

Our cycling club stops of at restaurants and pubs.When asked they say can't get the staff especially with Brexit.
The main reason is young people cannot afford rents or houses in major cities.They leave for cheaper places so no staff.
***********************
I ride Brompton,Hetchins 531.

briansnail wrote: ↑22 Apr 2024, 2:58pm Our cycling club stops of at restaurants and pubs.When asked they say can't get the staff especially with Brexit.
The main reason is young people cannot afford rents or houses in major cities.They leave for cheaper places so no staff.

Yes, Leaving the EU has hit the hospitality sector very hard. But did you mean to post this in this thread? Recent discussion of housing is here:
viewtopic.php?p=1840497#p1840497

Jonathan

The numbers are, as someone else said earlier, sad and shocking. I suspect the reason is a combination of the ongoing effects of Long Covid, under-funding of the NHS and consequent long waiting lists, poverty, and unprecedented levels of workplace stress.

This started back in theThatcher era. Not that I'm complaining. When state industries were being sold off, it was common for wholesale job reductions using pension scheme surpluses to offer generous terms to anyone willing to take early retirement. I volunteered as I could receive a pension based on 30 years service with no actuarial reduction. I was 50 when I retired on a generous pension. I never needed to work again. Gordon Brown then plundered the pension schemes leaving them in deficit. A whole generation were lost from the marketplace and thrown on the scrapheap. Self employment wasn't widespread as it is today. Workers could see unemployed people enjoying there newfound freedom and reassessed whether they could join in. The Cycling club offered several weekday rides filled with active retirees from postmen, bank workers, engineers from BT, BG, the power industry, armed forces, and more. If you couldn't fill your time volunteering became an option with the bonus of the state pension to kick in later.
So whilst not long term sick there is a very large group who are economically inactive. The very group Richey is trying to get back to work after throwing us on the scrap heap.

Jezrant wrote: ↑22 Apr 2024, 6:49pm The numbers are, as someone else said earlier, sad and shocking. I suspect the reason is a combination of the ongoing effects of Long Covid, under-funding of the NHS and consequent long waiting lists, poverty, and unprecedented levels of workplace stress.

My wife isn't actually "sick", but she is less economically active than she once thought she would be at this stage of life, and that was due to stress. She was a full time teacher, and had been doing it for decades. But she was stressed out by what she perceived as a decline in pupil behaviour, combined with a lack of concern from those in charge. She could have a pupil call her something rude in front of a class one day, and the kid be back in school the next day without any significant sanctions. Which gave a green light to other kids thinking of doing the same to impress their mates. Over months and years that was having a drip, drip effect on her mental state, especially as poor behaviour was reducing actual teaching time for the pupils who were receptive to learning. So my wife retired early and has been doing the odd night class to supplement her pension. I'm not sure this has any wider significance beyond teaching, but it is a poor state of affairs.