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PRO BUSINESS
SEPTEMBER 2015 PRO INSTALLER
www.proinstaller.co.uk
New Return To Work Help
Service Goes Live
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 available.
It is estimated that only 31% of
employees currently have access
to occupational health services
through their place of work.
During a series of events over
recent months, GPs and practice
managers in England and Wales
have been briefed about the new
service to which they can refer
eligible patients, provided the
individuals concerned give their
consent.