Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

Fit for WorkSickness absence management

Employers say they will use Fit for Work service

by Nic Paton 30 Nov 2015
by Nic Paton 30 Nov 2015 While evidence of the Fit for Work service is low among GPs, a survey shows that employers want to engage with the scheme
While evidence of the Fit for Work service is low among GPs, a survey shows that employers want to engage with the scheme

Employers are willing to engage with the Government’s new Fit for Work service, a recent survey has concluded.

The 2015/16 Jelf Employee Benefits survey asked employers if they would be willing to signpost absent employees towards the new service in the absence of referrals from the family doctor.

Almost seven out of 10 said they would be happy to refer some (42%) or all (27%) of their long-term absences to the new service.

Reassuringly for existing OH providers, more than one-fifth (22%) said that they would instead use their bespoke company-sponsored occupational health scheme for such referrals.

Fit for Work service resources

Letter explaining to managers and occupational health the role of the Fit for Work service

Policy on Fit for Work service referrals for employees on long-term sickness absence

Form for an employee to consent to a Fit for Work service referral

Just 3% of employers indicated that they would not be making any such intervention.

The research also suggested that 45% of employers would be communicating details of the service to their employees in the next year. This is a positive sign, given that there are widespread concerns that awareness of the service among employers and GPs is, at the moment, extremely low.

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.

Steve Herbert, head of benefits strategy at Jelf Employee Benefits said: “Evidence from the Fit Note exercise suggests that in the early years it is probably unlikely that many referrals to Fit for Work will arise from family doctors. So it is hugely encouraging – and indeed important for UK absence rates – that employers remain willing to grasp the nettle of engagement with this new service.

“Our figures suggest that many more absent employees will now benefit from an assessment by an occupational health professional either via Fit for Work, or a more bespoke company-sponsored occupational health arrangement. This can only be a good thing for all concerned,” he added.

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
Smart tech to wipe out wasted time in meetings
next post
Occupational health research round-up: December 2015

You may also like

Third of employees ‘anxious’ about lack of workplace...

3 Sep 2025

Reasonable adjustment failures for epilepsy lead to £445k...

21 Aug 2025

BA crew member too anxious to fly wins...

13 Aug 2025

Violence against A&E staff has doubled, warns RCN

12 Aug 2025

Reform fit notes to recover falling over-50s employment

11 Aug 2025

Three-quarters more likely to stay with employer who...

14 Jul 2025

‘Frustrating’ that NHS Plan has overlooked OH, warns...

8 Jul 2025

Four in 10 call centre workers to quit...

8 Jul 2025

Aircrew with cancer pursuing MoD for compensation –...

2 Jul 2025

Third in north west fear ill health will...

2 Jul 2025

  • Work smart – stay well: Avoid unnecessary pain with centred ergonomics SPONSORED | If you often notice...Read more
  • Elevate your L&D strategy at the World of Learning 2025 SPONSORED | This October...Read more
  • How to employ a global workforce from the UK (webinar) WEBINAR | With an unpredictable...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

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
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise