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

Latest NewsHR practiceSickness absenceWellbeingOccupational Health

NICE guidelines call for early contact with staff on sick leave

by Noel O'Reilly 24 Mar 2009
by Noel O'Reilly 24 Mar 2009

Employers should appoint a trained ‘keyworker’ to contact employees who are on sick leave and help return them to work, government-backed guidelines say.

The key worker could be an HR manager, an occupational health nurse or doctor or the person’s line manager, says the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

The recommendation is part of NICE guidelines on helping people return to work following sickness absence, designed to back other initiatives, including the government pilots of a new GP ‘fit note’ and ‘fit for work teams’ to help get sick staff back to work.

“This new guidance from NICE aims to help employers and employees work together to ensure that when someone is absent from work due to sickness, the right support is available as early as possible, so they can return to work as soon as they are able,” said Mike Kelly, Public Health Excellence Centre director for NICE.

Key workers should have an understanding of the workplace and health issues and, if possible, should not be the employee’s line manager.

They should contact staff who have been on sick leave for between two and six weeks and find out if they have received treatment and how likely it is that they will return to work.

With the agreement of the employee and after consulting the employee’s GP, the key worker should draw up a detailed assessment and appoint a case worker to help an employee back to work if necessary.

Employers should be prepared to offer lighter duties to support a gradual return to work.

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.

“Implementing this guidance is likely to result in cost savings for employers in a reduction in sickness absence costs,” said Kelly, adding that most of the interventions were simple and should not result in extra NHS costs.

NICE was formed in 1999 to advise the health service on cost-effective treatments available for common health problems, and has since extended its remit to advising on public health, including in the workplace.

Noel O'Reilly

I am a writer, journalist, novelist, Follow me on Twitter @noeloreilly

previous post
HR career training a low priority as business focus moves away from skills
next post
Honda proposes a one-year pay cut to stave off redundancies

You may also like

Number of Neet women rises but figures fall...

23 May 2025

Bank holidays: six things employers need to know

23 May 2025

Unions ponder strike action after public sector pay...

23 May 2025

Personnel Today Awards 2025: Three weeks left to...

23 May 2025

Sighing in frustration at colleague was discriminatory, judge...

23 May 2025

Flexible working for teachers initiative extended

23 May 2025

Fire and rehire: the relocation question

22 May 2025

Public sector workers gain pay rises of up...

22 May 2025

Six ways to kickstart conversations about team stress...

22 May 2025

UK net migration slashed by half in one...

22 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