Healthcare provider Bupa has launched a new initiative to combat the spiralling costs of sick days.

In 2003 sick days cost employers a staggering £11.6bn. Bupa claimed that new scheme 360º Health Risk Management would provide an all-round approach to getting workers back into the office.

It said that implementing an integrated health risk management service would save up to 1% of the payroll figure.

Using Coors Brewers as an example, Bupa showed how the company saved £1.1m – a 6:1 return on investment – last year by using the service to get absent employees back to work quickly.