The government is missing out on savings of around €55m a year due to its failure to tackle workplace absenteeism.

That is the message from the Fit for Work Coalition, which wants a national programme for early intervention in workplace absence.

The coalition of healthcare professionals, employers' groups and trade unions want to improve the outcomes for people with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

MSD is an umbrella term covering over 200 conditions, including arthritis, back pain and tendonitis.

Around 80% of the population will suffer from MSDs at some point. This costs the state €275m in annual illness benefit payments.

But the coalition says an early intervention programme would make a saving of €55m of the total annual bill.

Every year, seven million working days are lost due to MSD conditions.

In a new survey of more than 300 people with MSDs, 77% of unemployed participants said they had either lost or given up their job because of their MSD.

Of those who remain in paid employment, 32% said they had switched to part time because of their MSD, while a further 23% said they had moved jobs as a result.

Dr Don Thornhill is chair of the Fit for Work Coalition and of the National Competitiveness Council.