Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

AbsenceHealth and safetyLatest NewsHealth & Safety ExecutiveHR practice

Carol Black calls for ‘fit for work’ to kick in after one month off sick

by Nic Paton 13 Jun 2008
by Nic Paton 13 Jun 2008

A fit-for-work service should come into play after an employee has been signed off work by their GP for about four weeks, national director for health and work Dame Carol Black has suggested.

 

Black, speaking at the launch of this year’s Confederation of British Industry/AXA absence survey, emphasised that the service should be free at the point of delivery, but not necessarily solely medical. Where appropriate it could, for example, also offer services such as debt counselling.

 

“I see it as a service that is a hub with spokes, that is case-managed and whatever is the need, there should be an opportunity for getting that treatment. But I would not want to over-medicalise it, either. I think we should be trialling different things,” she told delegates.

 

Work and pensions’ minister Lord McKenzie said that the government is looking into the feasibility of piloting the service, even though it is not expected to make a formal response to Black’s Working for a Healthier Tomorrow proposals until the summer. Describing the Black review as a clear and compelling case for action, McKenzie said: “We are exploring how to pilot a fit-for-work service.”

 

Black also revealed she had been shocked to find that when she started work on her review of workplace health there were no national standards for the delivery of occupational health, wellbeing or rehabilitation.

 

“If employers are buying in any of these factors, how do they know they are any good? There is no ‘Corgi’ mark attached to it,” she pointed out.

 

In a statement that went much further than the recommendations within her review, Black called for the establishment of a universal occupational health service.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

 

“It is ridiculous that OH is only available if you are working in the NHS or lucky enough to be working in a company that has its own occupational health service. I would like to see – to put it bluntly – a national occupational health service,” she said.

Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consultant editor at Personnel Today. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for Personnel Today and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

previous post
Defending the right to question IIP success
next post
Sickness absence down slightly in 2007

You may also like

Fire and rehire: the relocation question

22 May 2025

Public sector workers gain pay rises of up...

22 May 2025

UK net migration slashed by half in one...

22 May 2025

How neuroscience can unlock employee recognition

22 May 2025

UK universities fret over fall in international students

22 May 2025

HSBC employees warned of office attendance link to...

22 May 2025

The Law Society: Navigating the new world of...

22 May 2025

Workplace stress: Why it’s time to rebrand resilience

22 May 2025

Restaurant tips should be included in holiday pay

21 May 2025

Fewer workers would comply with a return-to-office mandate

21 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today