Clearview National September 2015 - Issue 166 | Page 90
businessnews
Fit for Work?
A new support service, designed to help working people
who face long-term sickness absence return to work more
quickly, is now available across the whole of England.
»»The free and
confidential service, known as
Fit for Work, will provide the
services of occupational health
professionals to employed people
if they have been, or are likely
to be, off work for four weeks or
more.
According to government
statistics, around 815,000
working people in England each
year have sickness absence of
four weeks or more. Research
indicates that, without support,
a significant proportion will
struggle to return to their jobs.
From today, all GPs in
England will be able to offer their
working patients a referral to the
new service, which includes an
in-depth assessment, followed by
a personalised Return to Work
Plan and managed support to
get back to their jobs. Employers
will also be able to refer their
employees to the service from the
autumn.
The service, which is entirely
voluntary, is intended to help the
hundreds of thousands of people
in England each year who are, or
are likely to be, absent from work
for more than four weeks due to
illness or related issues. It will also
help employers reduce the impact
of long-term sickness absence on
their businesses.
The service is expected to
be of particular value in small
and medium-sized firms where
there is no, or limited, employer
occupational health support
90 » SE P 2015 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
available. It is estimated that only
31% of employees currently have
access to occupational health
services through their place of
work.
HOW IT WORKS
Within two working days
of a referral, the employee
concerned will receive an in-depth
consultation with an occupational
health professional who will
explore all of the issues that
might be preventing that person
returning to work. This will
include work-related and wider
personal issues as well as health
matters.
The Return to Work Plan
will direct employees towards
services that will help them
overcome any obstacles keeping
them away from work. If the
employee gives consent, Fit for
Work professionals can also work
directly with employers to help
the patient achieve a return to
work. The Return to Work Plan
can replace the need for doctors
to issue fit notes, thereby relieving
pressure on GPs’ time. Support
from the new service lasts for up
to three months.
With individuals collectively
estimated to miss out on £4billion
a year in lost earnings, the service
is intended to offer a pragmatic
approach for those struggling to
return to work. Fit for Work takes
a holistic or ‘biopsychosocial’
approach, which takes into
account the full range of work,