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Fit for WorkDisabilityDisabilitySick pay

Fit for Work assessments to be scrapped

by Rob Moss 1 Dec 2017
by Rob Moss 1 Dec 2017 Many GPs had not heard of Fit for Work according to research this year
Many GPs had not heard of Fit for Work according to research this year

The Government has announced that Fit for Work assessment services will close next spring, following low referral rates.

Employers, employees and GPs will continue to be able to use the Fit for Work helpline and website for workplace health advice and support on sickness absence, but from 31 March 2018 in England and Wales, and 31 May 2018 in Scotland, assessments services will cease.

Fit for Work resources

Make a referral to the Fit for Work service 

How to engage with the Fit for Work service about an employee on sickness absence

The Fit for Work referral service provides free access to an occupational health professional for people who are off work for four weeks or more.

The Department for Work and Pensions said an expert working group on OH has been appointed to take an in-depth look at the sector.

A survey by GP magazine this summer found that 65% of GPs had not referred a single patient to the Fit for Work service and that a lack of publicity was the cause.

A study by Willis Towers Watson health and benefits team in March found that only 21 of HR professionals had used Fit for Work

The scrapping of Fit for Work assessments came as the Government announced ambitious plans to get one million more disabled people in work over the next 10 years.

A report, Improving Lives: the future of work, health and disability, sets out how Government will work with employers, charities, healthcare providers and local authorities to break down employment barriers for disabled people and people with health conditions over the next 10 years.

Work and pensions secretary David Gauke said: “Everyone should be able to go as far as their talents can take them, but for too long disabled people and people with health conditions have been held back from getting on in work.

“Today we’ve set out an ambitious 10-year strategy to end this injustice once and for all. By bringing employers, the welfare system and health services together we’re taking significant steps to ensure everyone can reach their potential.”

Recommendations

The Government has also said that all 40 recommendations of the recent Stevenson/Farmer review of mental health and employers will be progressed, including reform of statutory sick pay and the introduction of a framework for large employers to voluntarily report on mental health and disability within their organisations.

Rachel Suff, senior employment relations adviser at the CIPD, said: “We welcome the broad acceptance the recommendations made in the Stevenson/Farmer review and the Matthew Taylor Review of good work designed to improve not only how employers recruit, but progress the careers of, people with a disability or health condition. By encouraging greater transparency and better reporting of action taken as suggested, Government can help inspire wider change in employer practice.

“Proposals such as reforming statutory sick pay to facilitate flexible working and expanding fit note certification to other healthcare professionals will need further development work and legislative change. We welcome the fact that the Government is taking the time to research and demonstrate a sound evidence base on other proposals, such as determining what incentives could motivate employers to invest in people’s health.”

More than 5,000 companies have now signed up to the Disability Confident scheme to promote disability inclusion.

Sarah Kaiser, diversity and inclusion lead at Fujitsu, said: “Fujitsu has significantly benefited from being Disability Confident, giving us access to untapped pools of talent and enabling us to increase our retention of employees with disabilities.

“We have also worked with our employees with disabilities to ensure our products and services become even more accessible, benefitting our customers too. This is not just the right thing for employees, but also significantly helps the employer.”

Rob Moss
Rob Moss

Rob Moss is a business journalist with more than 25 years' experience. He has been editor of Personnel Today since 2010. He joined the publication in 2006 as online editor of the award-winning website. He specialises in labour market economics, gender diversity and family-friendly working. He has hosted hundreds of webinar and podcasts, most recently on the challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic. Before writing about HR and employment he ran news and feature desks on publications serving the global optical and eyewear market, the UK electrical industry, and electrical markets in Asia and the Middle East.

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1 comment

Avatar
Jo Kavanagh 17 Jun 2018 - 12:30 pm

I found this article today (17 June 2018). My husband has been off work for two months due to his medical condition, which resulted in an incident at work. Unfortunately, he has yet to receive the details from his employer, so has been unable to even consult with his GP or an employment adviser. He has also not been allowed to be accompanied by that employment adviser or anyone else who knows his condition, so is now having an occupational health assessment without knowing anything of what happened that requires it.

Surely this is not right?

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