A report from European Union statistical agency Eurostat shows that the UK
has one of the highest proportions of workers with long-standing health
problems or disabilities in Europe.
More Brits of working age told researchers they suffered such difficulties
than in any other EU country, except for Finland.
Even the eastern European countries joining the EU next year, where health
and safety practices are often regarded as below-par, performed better than the
UK.
Across the existing EU, an average of 16.4 per cent of working age people
declared they had a long-standing health problem or disability (LSHPD).
Among eight countries joining the EU next May, the proportion was 14.3 per
cent. The UK’s figure was 27.2 per cent, which was only topped by Finland, with
32.2 per cent.
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The healthiest EU staff were in Italy (6.6 per cent) and Spain (8.7 per
cent).
In eastern Europe, reports ranged from 23.7 per cent in Estonia, to 8.2 per
cent in Slovakia.
