The CSP and ACPOHE have joined the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) in calling for improved access to musculoskeletal (MSK) care for young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
We've joined with others to warn that without faster access to NHS community MSK services, the independent sector and occupational health support, more young people risk reaching adulthood with health conditions that limit their employment prospects and career choices. This could potentially contribute to a future generation of NEETs.
The calls are in a new joint briefing published by CSP, SOM, the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and Ergonomics (ACPOHE), the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors, and the Council for Work and Health.
Young people with MSK-related conditions are now among the groups with the highest rates of economic inactivity.
Barriers to accessing services, concerns about the quality of provision, workforce challenges and anxieties about entering the labour market highlight the need for greater policy attention to young people’s MSK health and access to rehabilitation.
Recommendations
The paper puts forward priority recommendations:
- Timely access to rehabilitation and occupational health, including community MSK, First Contact Practitioners (FCPs) and specialist secondary services where necessary.
- Strengthen prevention and preparation across education and employment, including establishing formal links between education providers, employers and health services to support young people’s MSK health.
- Invest in the multidisciplinary workforce
The CSP's position is that we need to fully utilise the experience and expertise of the physiotherapy workforce, including the independent sector alongside NHS services.
Sara Hazzard, assistant director at the CSP and co-chair of the Community Rehabilitation Alliance (CRA), said:
We cannot afford to overlook the impact of MSK health on young people’s futures. Unmet needs in youth and childhood can have lasting consequences for health, education and employment.
‘Ahead of Alan Milburn’s review into young people and work, this evidence-based briefing sets out clear priorities for improving access to MSK care, rehabilitation and occupational health, backed by investment in services and the physiotherapy workforce. Early intervention can help more young people access education, enter the workforce and pursue careers they find fulfilling.’
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