Fit for Work helps employers to manage sickness absence in the work place and provides employers, employees and their GPs with access to work-related health advice.
Fit for Work provides free health and work advice through a website and telephone line to help with absence prevention and free referral for an occupational health assessment for employees who have reached, or whose GPs expects them to reach, four weeks of sickness absence. Employees will normally be referred by their GP but employers can also make a referral after the employee’s fourth week of absence. If an employee is referred to Fit for Work for an assessment, the employer may receive a Return to Work Plan via email (or post if appropriate). This will provide advice and recommendations to take to get the employee back to work.
In England and Wales visit www.fitforwork.org to see where the service is currently live, where it will be rolling out and sign up to receive roll out updates.
In Scotland visit www.fitforworkscotland.scot to find out what is available and how to get in touch.
Employers can accept the Return to Work Plan as evidence of sickness absence in the same way as a fit note issued by a GP. Employers will not need to ask an employee for a fit note as well.
Fit for Work team release road show details for Leeds and Newcastle 2 October 2015
The fit for work team, along with leading experts such as David Frost CBE, Lord Freud, Acas, and early adopters of the service is visiting key parts of the country to share insights and information on sickness absence and to demonstrate how the service works.
Leeds will be held on Tuesday, 10 November 2015 from 10:30 to 12:30.
Newcastle will be held on Monday, 2 November 2015 from 10:00 to 12:00.
Join the exclusive Fit for Work event to:
hear recommendations on how to tackle sickness absence in the workplace gain valuable insights into key drivers for absence (new research) hear from leading experts in sickness absence
learn how Fit for Work can help you, your employees and your members learn how employers have helped employees return to, and stay in, work ask our panel of experts questions during our interactive Q&A panel discussion session. Visit Fit for Work to find out more about the service
Fit for Work employer referral service 9 October 2015
Fit for Work is a free occupational health scheme designed to help manage sickness absence. Companies can receive a £500 tax exemption for each employee referred to the service on medical grounds.
Fit for Work is now available for everyone in employment up and down the country, and as employers and GPs begin to refer their employees and patients, questions are being raised from those interested in the service about how long the referral process will last. Is it a brief intervention for those off sick for four weeks or more, or is it a more lengthy and complex process?
Chris Rhodes, Chief Nursing Officer at Fit for Work answers the question in the Fit for Work Blog .
The answer, put simply, is that it depends on each individual case – the process would be tailored around an individual’s needs. Some people may require a more involved, hands-on approach, while some may just require a brief intervention. However, the Fit for Work referral process does last a total of three months as standard, or until the person referred has made a full return to work – although we do anticipate that most employees will have returned to work within those three months.
CIPP Policy News Journal
25/04/2016, Page 87 of 453
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker