New system needed to cut sickness absence

The way that long-term sickness is handled in the UK requires a radical change, a new report has argued.

With sick leave costing the economy an estimated £100 billion a year, Dame Carol Black, the national director for health and work, used her government-commissioned report to urge the introduction of a new fit-note system.

The review also recommended special NHS work schemes to encourage people to get back to work.

At the moment, some 350,000 a year move from long-term sick leave to incapacity benefit.

As a result, the UK has one of the highest levels of incapacity claimants in Europe.

The hope is that by providing help towards a return to work, the new system will curtail the numbers currently reliant on benefits.

Under the fit-note system, GPs would assess what tasks patients were capable of performing as opposed to detailing what they are unable to do.

Dame Carol proposed that the fit-notes should be relayed to employers so they can play their part in supporting the patient, should they agree, in their efforts to get back to work.

It was also recommended that employers look at flexible working as a way of helping staff on sick leave to find a way into employment again.

Large employers should set up occupational health and rehabilitation teams.

To support smaller employers, the report proposed fit for work schemes in which case managers would have access to counselling, physiotherapists, occupational health and financial and family advice.

Dame Carol said: “£100 billion sounds a large figure. But I think the cost to human life is much larger. For most people their work is a key factor in their self-worth, family esteem and identity.

“But it is so easy to fall out of work and move to a place where your confidence and well-being suffers. We must do more to help people, because if you intervene at an early stage you can stop the longer-term problems emerging.”

Date:18 March 2008