London workers ‘too busy’ to attend health appointments

Nearly two thirds (64%) of London-based workers have admitted they regularly book a whole day?s holiday to attend a health appointment – such as with a GP, dentist or physiotherapist – because they are too busy to attend during the working day, according to a Bupa study.

A further quarter (28%) of the capital?s time-poor workers revealed they have waited for at least four weeks before having time to book an appointment for a health issue.

Commenting on the research findings, Lee Martin, manager at Bupa?s new health centre in Canary Wharf, Crossrail Place said: “We know that people struggle to fit their health and wellbeing needs into their busy working lives. This means some aren?t addressing health issues promptly and others are having to use precious holiday time just to get a routine appointment. Alongside our jobs, it is crucial people don?t neglect their health as this may lead to time out of the office in the long run.”

Even when they do get round to booking health appointments, over half (57%) of Londoners confessed they regularly have to cancel or re-schedule because of work commitments and 59% admitted they?re typically too busy during the working day to actually attend. The most common reasons given were: last-minute work deadlines (45%), covering for other colleagues (37%) and being worried that taking time out of the office would reflect badly with colleagues or superiors (24%)

Other notable findings from the research were:

? Over half (54%) of Londoners avoid booking health appointments even when they have a health issue because of struggling to get time out of the office.

? Consequently, nearly half (44%) say that a health complaint has worsened because they have been unable to attend an appointment, resulting in them taking a sick day.

? Nearly two-fifths (39%) of Londoners admitted being able to attend health appointments would increase their job satisfaction and over a third (38%) said it would boost their productivity.

? Just over a third (34%) admitted that clinics with longer than normal opening hours were the biggest help when booking health appointment

Read the findings in full at bit.ly/1LeMhfN