Fitness for work: changes in sickness absence management

Abstract

The government’s response1 in January this year to the Sickness Absence Review by Dame Carol Black and David Frost,2 which was published in November 2011, will radically change the way sickness absence will be managed in future. In Great Britain, from 2014, an independent, State-funded Health and Work Assessment and Advisory Service will see those who have been off work for 4 weeks and provide assessment, advice to employees, employers, and GPs, signposting to interventions, case management, and follow-up. Most GPs will welcome these changes. Previous research3 has already shown that GPs support the idea of an independent assessment service and would be happy to engage with one. Currently, many GPs, employees, and employers struggle to access necessary and appropriate expert advice that can improve sickness absence management. The new Service will produce reports for all three parties. In recent years, GPs have become increasingly aware of the strong evidence of the positive benefits for physical and mental health and wellbeing of good work and the damage caused by unemployment and prolonged sickness absence.4–8 Many have attended the Royal College of General Practitioners’ national education programme about health and work,9 which is designed to increase GPs’ knowledge, skills, confidence, and effectiveness in dealing with clinical issues relating to work and health. Many too have made use of the Healthy Working UK website (http://www.healthyworkinguk.co.uk/), which provides doctors and other healthcare professionals …