SICK Bolton Council staff are being urged to get fit . . . and get back to work.

Town hall bosses are bringing in a pilot scheme to encourage employees to take up a healthier lifestyle.

It is part of a huge drive to tackle high sickness levels in the local authority.

The idea is to enrol employees who are off work with a two-week sicknote in a "health improvement" programme.

The aim is for them to return to work quicker and stay healthy once they are back.

It will initially be a voluntary six-month scheme involving social services, leisure services and commercial services staff.

Sick pay will still be paid during the pilot project to staff who refuse to take part.

But if it is adopted as a permanent policy, personnel chief Mr Frank O'Malley told social services committee councillors yesterday that it could be reviewed.

He said: "The pilot scheme is entirely voluntary, but if it was established across the council then we would have to have another look at this."

Staff would initially be assessed by Bolton Council's occupational health unit.

If it is considered appropriate, they would be enrolled on an eight-week programme.

The healthy living programme provides advice in such areas as diet, stopping smoking, stress management, how to avoid back injuries, women's "change of life" problems, drug abuse and lifestyle management.

All employees and councillors are also going to be offered the chance to take part in an exercise programme at a council leisure centre to improve their overall health and fitness.

Mr O'Malley explained: "The intention is first of all to help the employee, but also to get them back to work more quickly."

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