The Government have today released details of a new plan to reduced the huge losses to Britain’s economy from workers taking sick days. “Fit notes” will replace sick notes and are aimed at clawing back some of the £100bn lost every year from the work force.
The idea of giving workers a note from their doctors to prove their sickness was set up by the NHS in 1948 and has not changed since.
The new plans proposed by health ministers will “significantly reduce” employee sickness as doctors will decided now decide whether the worker is capable of going in to carry out any tasks.
However, the changes, which will involved an electronic fit note instead of paper sick note, are not expected to be implemented until 2010.
Work and Pensions Secretary, James Purnell advised that the plan was to benefit workers and offer help sooner rather than later.
Mr Purnell said, “Everyone has the right to work and we want to design a fair system which supports people so they can work when they are able.”
The Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, said, “Sick leave costs an estimated £100bn per year, but helping people stay in work does not just have an economic imperative, it has a moral and social one too.”
In addition to the fit notes, the government also wish to introduce changes such as a health check of NHS workers in an attempt to promote their welfare.
Ministers have estimated the project to cost £45m over three years and would benefit disabled people or those who became ill to be able to stay or go back to work by offering support with their condition as well as getting help to stay in employment.
As part of the plans, a national centre for health and well-being will be set up, a health helpline established for small companies and employment advisers will be available from GP surgeries.
Mr Purnell referred to the plan as a way to promote a “fundamental culture change”, commenting that during the current economic climate it was vital to keep people in employment.
Although no targets have been set to decrease sickness absence, the government hopes to reduce the amount of people claiming incapacity benefit by a million over the next six years.
Mr Johnson highlighted the fact that approximately 50% of the 600,000 people claiming incapacity benefits each year had in fact already been in employment - the plan, he said, would ideally decrease this figure.
The plan has been established after the government received recommendations from Dame Carol Black earlier in the year. Today she commented, “I believe the measures unveiled by the Government will help make our society a healthier and happier one, where everyone recognises the link between good health and good work.
“But to ensure it happens we need to work together to change attitudes and behaviours. The Government has taken this first important step, but we need to work in partnership, with business leaders, employers and individuals all having a role to play.
“This agenda is vitally important in the current economic climate and we can’t afford to neglect it. There are stark economic and social costs if we don’t strive to help people be healthy and in work.”
Sick days last year amounted to the equivalent of 172 million lost days from the workforce.
General secretary of the TUC, Brendan Barber said,”This goes some way towards addressing the health problems faced by people at work, and by those unable to work because of ill-health, but it could have gone much further.
“Workers made ill by their jobs need early access to rehabilitation and better support to help them get back to work as soon as they are able to. While the fit for work pilots go some way towards achieving this, they will have little relevance to the vast majority of workers who fall ill or are injured through work.
“More must be done to stop employees from becoming ill or injured in the first place. This report shows that ministers recognise the importance of enforcement in improving health and safety in workplaces. But without additional resources to the Health and Safety Executive and local councils, there is unlikely to be any increase in the number of inspectors.”
In opposition to the plans, Paul Kenny, leader of the GMB union recommended the Government focus their resources and energy on the recession rather than the proposed fit note changes.
Chief medical adviser of the Engineering Employers Federation, Professor Sayeed Khan advised, “Today’s proposals represent a major step forward in tackling unnecessary sickness absence, getting people back to work and promoting a culture change so that people recognise work is actually good for them and their families.
“Employers, employees and the UK economy have substantial benefits to gain from a positive approach to occupational health. Too often there is an emphasis on what the employee cannot do rather than what they can do.
“This system should help us tackle sickness absence in a positive manner by enabling employees to return in a role that suits both the employer and employee.
“The burden felt by many doctors relating to sick notes may also be improved with a drive to use a streamlined electronic system to improve communication between employer, employee and GP.”
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The Government have today released details of a new plan to reduced the huge losses to Britain’s economy from workers taking sick days. “Fit notes” will replace sick notes and are aimed at clawing back some of the £100bn lost every year from the work force.
The idea of giving workers a note from their doctors to prove their sickness was set up by the NHS in 1948 and has not changed since.
The new plans proposed by health ministers will “significantly reduce” employee sickness as doctors will decided now decide whether the worker is capable of going in to carry out any tasks.
However, the changes, which will involved an electronic fit note instead of paper sick note, are not expected to be implemented until 2010.
Work and Pensions Secretary, James Purnell advised that the plan was to benefit workers and offer help sooner rather than later.
Mr Purnell said, “Everyone has the right to work and we want to design a fair system which supports people so they can work when they are able.”
The Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, said, “Sick leave costs an estimated £100bn per year, but helping people stay in work does not just have an economic imperative, it has a moral and social one too.”
In addition to the fit notes, the government also wish to introduce changes such as a health check of NHS workers in an attempt to promote their welfare.
Ministers have estimated the project to cost £45m over three years and would benefit disabled people or those who became ill to be able to stay or go back to work by offering support with their condition as well as getting help to stay in employment.
As part of the plans, a national centre for health and well-being will be set up, a health helpline established for small companies and employment advisers will be available from GP surgeries.
Mr Purnell referred to the plan as a way to promote a “fundamental culture change”, commenting that during the current economic climate it was vital to keep people in employment.
Although no targets have been set to decrease sickness absence, the government hopes to reduce the amount of people claiming incapacity benefit by a million over the next six years.
Mr Johnson highlighted the fact that approximately 50% of the 600,000 people claiming incapacity benefits each year had in fact already been in employment - the plan, he said, would ideally decrease this figure.
The plan has been established after the government received recommendations from Dame Carol Black earlier in the year. Today she commented, “I believe the measures unveiled by the Government will help make our society a healthier and happier one, where everyone recognises the link between good health and good work.
“But to ensure it happens we need to work together to change attitudes and behaviours. The Government has taken this first important step, but we need to work in partnership, with business leaders, employers and individuals all having a role to play.
“This agenda is vitally important in the current economic climate and we can’t afford to neglect it. There are stark economic and social costs if we don’t strive to help people be healthy and in work.”
Sick days last year amounted to the equivalent of 172 million lost days from the workforce.
General secretary of the TUC, Brendan Barber said,”This goes some way towards addressing the health problems faced by people at work, and by those unable to work because of ill-health, but it could have gone much further.
“Workers made ill by their jobs need early access to rehabilitation and better support to help them get back to work as soon as they are able to. While the fit for work pilots go some way towards achieving this, they will have little relevance to the vast majority of workers who fall ill or are injured through work.
“More must be done to stop employees from becoming ill or injured in the first place. This report shows that ministers recognise the importance of enforcement in improving health and safety in workplaces. But without additional resources to the Health and Safety Executive and local councils, there is unlikely to be any increase in the number of inspectors.”
In opposition to the plans, Paul Kenny, leader of the GMB union recommended the Government focus their resources and energy on the recession rather than the proposed fit note changes.
Chief medical adviser of the Engineering Employers Federation, Professor Sayeed Khan advised, “Today’s proposals represent a major step forward in tackling unnecessary sickness absence, getting people back to work and promoting a culture change so that people recognise work is actually good for them and their families.
“Employers, employees and the UK economy have substantial benefits to gain from a positive approach to occupational health. Too often there is an emphasis on what the employee cannot do rather than what they can do.
“This system should help us tackle sickness absence in a positive manner by enabling employees to return in a role that suits both the employer and employee.
“The burden felt by many doctors relating to sick notes may also be improved with a drive to use a streamlined electronic system to improve communication between employer, employee and GP.”
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