A cure for sick note fever

The government has announced a new disability test designed to crack down on the UKís ìsick note cultureî and help people back into work. Figures reveal that almost 2,000 people on benefit are classed too fat to work, at a cost of 4.4 billion to tax payers every year. A significant number of benefit claimants suffer from mental health issues such as stress and depression. FirstAssist, leading health and wellbeing solutions provider, echoes government claims that with the right support many can become productive members of the workforce.

The new move from the department of work and pensions will focus on a new medical test. People will be assessed based on what they can do, rather than what they cannot and will be tested for their ability to sit at a desk and use a mouse and keyboard. Employers will be expected to offer support and make changes to help bring long-term sick back into work.

ì2.7 million people are claiming 7.4 billion in incapacity benefit and 250,000 of those are claiming 600 million for stress-related illnesses,î explains Kevin Dewhurst of FirstAssist. ìSickness absence puts pressure on businesses and their employees, which is why itís important for employers to take a proactive approach to the physical and mental health of their staff. Effective health and wellbeing management can help organisations identify the causes of staff sickness, thereby introducing solutions to tackle absence levels and helping long-term sick back into the workplace.î

FirstAssist focus on achieving an early return to health and work which requires a multi-disciplinary approach, working in partnership with an organisationís HR, Health and Safety and other personnel-related teams.

This includes case management to tackle long-term absenteeism, a service aimed at coordinating relevant medical information and improving communication to accelerate an employee's return to work. There is also evidence to suggest that the implementation of a ëDay 1í absence helpline will help identify short term absence and allow the customer to focus activity and investment on earlier intervention and support which will have a positive impact on absence levels and employee morale.

Kevin Dewhurst concludes, ìThis announcement from the DWP highlights the importance of managing employee health in the workplace and the need for employers to be aware of the implications of the Disability Discrimination Act. There is the potential that an individual will require health support at the recruitment stage or at the return to work stage following an absence. FirstAssist offers organisations a proactive approach to employee health management, whether physical or mental through their occupational health, rehabilitation and stress counselling services, or access to other treatments such as CBT or physiotherapy.

ìThis government proposal is a positive step towards creating additional support and advice for people on incapacity benefit. Employers can play a key role in helping their staff make an early return to health and re-enter the workforce, reducing the cost of sickness absence and boosting overall profits.î