Free Zumba, yoga classes for NHS medics’ well-being

NHS England has charted out plans to offer free Zumba and yoga classes to reduce absence or sick days in the HNS. This is part of their solution (for £5 million) to cut down on absence from hospitals. According to a Freedom of Information request the management at York hospital has paid to staff taking off sick an amount since January of 2013, because of staff phoning in sick numerous times in the last year and beginning of this year. NHS Foundation Trust was forced to pay out over the 27 months near about £14 million.
Assistant director of Human Resources, York Teaching NHS Foundation Trust, said the Trust supports the new Healthy NHS Workforce programme. A Zumba instructor in the city, Christine Longster, said it’ good for stress relief and benefits like toning, weight-loss and meeting people. It’s good for nurses working long hours and for patients as well, she added. Joane Battson, a Zumba instructor says the sessions can help because those taking part get the “euphoric” feeling a dance class provides. People working in a stressful environment for 12 hours and take up Zumba, leave the class happy, she said referring to the free classes being planned.