TEACHERS HIT BY STRESS AND FATIGUE
Water Wellpoint highlights the benefits of focused wellbeing initiatives

New figures reveal that teachers in Cambridgeshire took more than 3,400 sick days in the last academic year, with anxiety, stress and fatigue blamed for the soaring levels of absenteeism . In addition, West End Extra journal reported almost 800 working days lost to teachers calling in sick for "psychological" reasons, in the first quarter of 2009 . With mounting pressures on educators across all sectors and regions, hydration and wellbeing expert, Water Wellpoint is highlighting the benefits that wellbeing initiatives can bring to schools keen to look after the health of their staff.

"The health of teachers is crucial, especially as schools have increasingly stretched budgets, league table pressures and a duty to pupils," explains Ben McGannan, Managing Director of Water Wellpoint. "Wellbeing programmes can play an important role in creating a more positive working environment for teachers - and they don't need to be hugely onerous on budgets."

Teaching is a challenging profession and the figures show that staff in the primary and secondary sector are taking more time off as a result of stress, anxiety and exhaustion. In primary schools last year, mental-health related sick days rose by 250% from 499 days in 2009-07 to 1,755 days .

McGannan continues, "Our Water Wellpoint programme offers schools the perfect way to focus on ways to promote staff health. It can sit alongside a school's existing occupational health services, while providing a new way to encourage teachers to play a role in their personal health."

The Water Wellpoint is a unique interactive health kiosk that allows individuals to self-test themselves at work using six key indicators of their general health. The vital signs include weight, hydration quota, body mass index, body fat content, heart rate and blood pressure and can be measured simply and accurately in around five minutes.

A print-out of results is provided showing how an individual compares with accepted medical standards. The Water Wellpoint offers a quick and easy early-warning system for potential problems, as well as a way for each individual to highlight areas they can work on to improve their personal health and wellbeing. The health kiosk can easily be taken into schools to help them engage staff and encourage them to take steps to improve their wellbeing.

"Wellpoint programmes are designed to fit seamlessly into any organisation, whether it's part of an overall wellbeing policy or just a simple health check to motivate staff," McGannan concludes. "We understand the pressures and challenges teachers and schools face, which is why Wellpoint wellbeing days need to work in a way that suits them. By giving staff the opportunity to take control of their health, schools can raise morale and reduce costs associated with staff absence, while maintaining that crucial continuity students need."

Wellpoint is a registered trademark solely owned by the Wellpoint Group Limited

For further press information please contact the Water Wellpoint Press Office at HSL:
Maddy Roles/Louise Fowler/Wendy Harrison - 020 8977 9132
maddy@harrisonsadler.com