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

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

Fit notesSickness absence managementHR practice

Fit notes prompt return-to-work conversations but fail to curb absence

by Laura Chamberlain 14 Dec 2011
by Laura Chamberlain 14 Dec 2011

Fit notes have “nudged” managers to have conversations with staff on sick leave about their return to work but have failed to improve absence levels, say employers.

In a survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Simplyhealth, more than half (52%) of organisations said that the introduction of the fit note has enabled line managers to have conversations about health issues with their staff.

However, despite opening up this dialogue, only one employer in 10 (11%) said that the introduction of the fit note had reduced absence in their organisation.

The fit note replaced the sick note in April 2010 and gave doctors the ability to advise whether or not patients may be fit for work if adjustments were made, such as a phased return to work, altered hours or amended duties. The intention was to reduce the number of people on long-term sickness absence by helping employers to identify when staff may be able to work in some capacity and help them return to the workplace.

However, only one-tenth (11%) of the respondents who took part in the survey believed that fit notes were being used effectively by GPs.

Dr Jill Miller, research adviser at the CIPD, commented: “The survey suggests the fit note has yet to have a real impact on reducing absence levels. This is perhaps not surprising considering the culture change needed by GPs, employers and employees to ensure that a phased return to work is more frequently regarded as a positive and integral part of employees’ rehabilitation and recovery.

“We are seeing some positive reviews of the fit note from GPs, but employers do not share such a view at present. GPs and employers need to work on the same page, promoting what is best for the individual employee’s health and wellbeing, but also what makes sense for the business.”

She added that it may take up to five years before the fit note is consistently used effectively and viewed more favourably as a tool to aid “early and lasting” returns to work.

Last month, a government-commissioned review of sickness absence recommended that an independent assessment service should take over return-to-work assessments from GPs.

A spokesperson for Simplyhealth said that they are keen to hear the Government’s response to this review. She added: “Helping people get back into work following illness or prolonged sickness absence is beneficial for both the employee and employer. Quality support and training are vital for initiatives to properly embed and become successful within our organisations.”


<TABLE style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 8px 0px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(230,227,245)" cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=3 border=0 >



Employer FAQs on fit notes:





  • How do fit notes differ from their predecessor, the sick note?
  • Is an employer obliged to comply with the advice on a fit note?
  • What should an employer do if it receives a fit note saying that an employee “may be fit for work taking account of the following advice”?
  • How should an employer deal with an employee who fails to provide a fit note?
  • Are there any steps that a line manager should take when an employee returns to work after a period of long-term sickness absence?

Avatar
Laura Chamberlain

previous post
Jobs outlook at weakest level for three years
next post
Unemployment hits highest figure since 1994

You may also like

Three in 10 say physical health has worsened...

20 May 2022

NHS pressures leaving thousands waiting for cancer diagnosis

17 May 2022

Long NHS waits meaning many with long Covid...

17 May 2022

Grants scheme set up to support women’s health...

16 May 2022

Crumbling school buildings ‘risk to life’ suggests leak

16 May 2022

Lack of flexibility pushes half of women to...

16 May 2022

‘Gulf War Syndrome’ caused by release of nerve...

13 May 2022

Workers feeing increasingly anxious, burnt out and fearful...

13 May 2022

Three-quarters not meeting weekly exercise target

11 May 2022

Employers hindering return to work by failing to...

9 May 2022

  • The importance of being an ethical leader and how to become one PROMOTED | What is ethical leadership?...Read more
  • RPO Report: 2022, The Year to Outsource PROMOTED | Employers should be overwhelmed with choice...Read more
  • Report: Enabling organisational agility through talent & people success PROMOTED | Work has been challenged...Read more
  • Employee Trends 2022 report PROMOTED | Edenred research on employees analysed the key employees’ trends for 2022...Read more
  • How finance apprenticeships can boost business PROMOTED | As the world’s most forward-thinking professional accountancy body...Read more
  • Paul Devoy: Showing appreciation to the Investors in People community PROMOTED | Ask most people what comes to mind when you mention Investors in People...Read more
  • White paper: How digitalisation can support evolving occupational health PROMOTED | Download this free white paper to discover how digitalisation can help occupational health meet emerging challenges...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 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

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