With NHS reforms stalled – forever, if some stakeholders get their way – June is an opportune time for HR magazine to look in depth at how we should handle health and wellbeing concerns at work.

Hospital waiting-lists are growing - and there are implications for employers. According to performance data released last month from the NHS, the number of people in England forced to wait more than 18 weeks (the Government's target) for NHS treatment has risen by 26% in the past year, while the number who had to wait longer than six months went up by 43%.

The latest CBI/Pfizer Absence and Workplace Health Survey finds the average employee takes 6.5 days away from work each year in absence - costing the economy an estimated 190 million working days.

In short, it seems logical to conclude staff are going to have to take more time off work with illness as, in an increasing number of cases, they will have to wait longer for treatment.

Putting the supplement for the June issue together, I was hopeful employers would be reacting to the healthcare turbulence by having robust wellbeing strategies in place, but this is not necessarily the case. According to a survey of 1,308 staff by Canada Life last month, although income protection, health insurance and critical illness cover are in the top ten perks staff wish their employer would offer, none of these appears in the top ten perks employers actually provide.

Considering that topic of insurance, we look at long-term illness from two different angles.

Firstly, in light of the Government's recent review into income support, we investigate the controversial issue of whether the state should still continue to provide benefits to people on long-term sickness absence, or if employers and insurers should bear the brunt.

Secondly, in a first for HR magazine, we look at the complex and tender issue of cancer in the workplace . Statistics show cancer will touch one in three of us, but how far is it appropriate for employers to become involved with helping staff, if they come forward to say they are suffering from the illness?

On the other side of the wellbeing spectrum, much has been written and said over the past six months about the prime minister's policy initiative around the happiness of the workforce. Steering clear of any 'airy fairy, happy clappy' assumptions, HR magazine has conducted its own research into the happiness of HR departments - and the findings make for some interesting reading.

For one thing, 'HR staff are happier than their colleagues'. And for another, we have demonstrated a correlation between happy staff - that all-important Holy Grail of an engaged workforce - and the financial bottom line.

The good old NHS has never been a stranger to controversial discussions around the water cooler - but, as austerity budgets tighten, it seems it is facing its toughest challenge to date. More pressure is being put onto employers to rise to the challenge of addressing wellbeing strategically - or face paying high absence costs. It is time to ask yourself if your healthcare provision is strategic enough to serve your business, or if it is in need of a transfusion.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts, so drop me an email and let me know what you think of your employers' attitudes to workplace wellbeing, or complete the HR magazine reward questionnaire...