New Fit For Work Scheme Fully Rolled Out

Will Employers Find the New Scheme Beneficial?

 

The Government's Fit For Work Scheme is now available across the UK.  GPs and Employers are able to refer employees to the Scheme when they have been off work sick for 4 weeks.  Employers will need to seek the employee's written consent before any referral and Fit for Work needs consent from employees before they share any information with employers.

 

The aim of the Scheme is to encourage employees to get back to work sooner rather than later. For small to medium sized employers it may serve as an alternative to more costly occupational health services.  Fit for Work is free (it is funded by the Government from the savings made when it stopped refunding SSP to employers).

 

Fit for Work will carry out an assessment of the employee and will seek to draw up and agree with the employee a personalised return to work plan.  This will be provided to the employer who will then need to consider whether it is able to accommodate the return to work plan.  This may consist of a phased return, reduced or altered duties, a period of working from home, changes to the workplace or work station for the employee, extra support or supervision, etc.  The employer is not obliged to follow the return to work plan, and in some cases it may not be feasible due to a lack of resources, cost, the difficulty with restructuring work, etc. 

 

It will be interesting to see how effective the Scheme is.  This will depend very much on individual circumstances, but one benefit that we can see immediately is that intervention will happen at a relatively early stage - after just 4 weeks' absence.  Previously an employer would be reluctant to seek medical information at such as an early stage because of the cost of a medical report or of a referral to an occupational health specialist.  After just 4 weeks it is often unclear if the employee is heading for a prolonged period of absence or is likely to return in the near future, so this Scheme should help speed things up a little.