Fit for Work – key questions from employers

Key questions from employers

Rationale behind Fit for Work


Do I need to prepare for making Fit for Work referrals?



What support do you have in place?



What support do you have in place?

Build a Fit for Work referral into your sickness absence

policies.


Why is there a need for Fit for Work?




Are able to access occupational health services



Are able to access occupational health servicesReduce the number of people moving needlessly

away from work because of ill health.



Fit for Work helps to act as a bridge between you and absent employees.


I’m an SME – will Fit for Work help me?







Why are referrals based on telephone assessments and not face-to-face interviews?

What Fit for Work is …

and isn’t

Fit for Work is…

Fit for Work is…

A free scheme comprising two elements:

Advice

Fit for Work is…


(Online or through a Freephonetelephone advice line).

Advice

Fit for Work is…


Referral(Online or through a Freephone

telephone advice line).for an occupational health assessment

Fit for Work is…

A complement to existing occupational health provision.

Fit for Work is…

A complement to existing occupational health provision.

Works alongside existing

occupational health provision.

Fit for Work is…

A complement to existing occupational heath provision.

Works alongside existing

occupational health provision.

Biopsychosocial approach – not focused

solely on clinical factors.

Fit for Work isn’t…

NOT linked to benefit

entitlement or the Work Capability

Assessment.

Fit for Work isn’t…

NOT linked to benefit

entitlement or the Work Capability

Assessment.

NOT about forcing people back to

work.

Making referrals to

Fit for Work

Making referrals to Fit for Work

How do I make a referral?


How do I make a referral?

Visit fitforwork.org/employer and select ‘refer an employee’

Enter your company details (these will be saved) and information about the employee you wish to refer

Check the information you’ve entered

Click ‘submit’

Want to see a test referral in action? Go to fitforwork.org/webinars and view the webinar entitled ‘Fit for Work – the employer referral process explained’


Is any training being offered to employers?


Is any training being offered to employers?

View our webinars (fitforwork.org/webinars)

Visit the employer page of the website (fitforwork.org/employer)

Call our Freephone telephone advice line on 0800 032 6235


When might a referral to Fit for Work not be appropriate?


When might a referral to Fit for Work not be appropriate?

Not for individuals with no realistic prospect of returning to work

Not for terminally ill patients (unless otherwise advised by GP)

Not for hospital in-patients

Not for patients in an acute phase of their medical condition


How long does my employee need to be off sick before

I can make a referral?


How long does my employee need to be off sick before

I can make a referral?

Four weeks (although a GP may refer before four weeks)


Why do I have to wait four weeks before referring an employee?


Why do I have to wait four weeks before referring an employee?

Absence of four weeks or more present a significant risk of a more sustained absence, or a person not returning to work at all


What if my employee doesn’t want to be referred to Fit for Work?


What if my employee doesn’t want to be referred to Fit for Work?

Referral is entirely consent-based


My employee is concerned about who will have access to the

information they provide. What should I tell them?


My employee is concerned about who will have access to the

information they provide. What should I tell them?

Only case managers working on the Return to Work Plan will have access to the information given

Information will be treated as private and confidential and will meet the Caldicott requirements

The outcomes

of a Fit for Work

assessment

The outcomes of a Fit for Work assessment

What will my employee receive?


A Return to Work Plan tailored to the employee’s

needs:

Advice and recommendations for interventions

Signposting to other help

A timetable for progressing interventions and for

returning to work (if applicable)

What will my employee receive?


What if I disagree with the advice given in

an employee’s Return to Work Plan?


What if I disagree with the advice given in

an employee’s Return to Work Plan?

The Return to Work Plan remains the property of

the employee

Employers can liaise with the Fit for Work case

manager in case of queries


What happens if my employee doesn’t

consent to sharing the outcome of an

assessment?


What happens if my employee doesn’t

consent to sharing the outcome of an

assessment?

A Return to Work Plan will not be shared with

anyone without the employee’s consent

Consent must be given at various stages of the

process


How long will my employee remain on the

Return to Work Plan?


Not all problems can be tackled through changes to the work

environment. What if interventions are necessary?


Who would pay for medical interventions?


Who would pay for medical interventions?

Tax exemption of

What now?

If you want to find out more about Fit for Work:

Visit: fitforwork.org/employer

Call the Freephone advice line on 0800 032 6235

To make a referral, visit fitforwork.org/employer

and click on “refer a patient”

Thank you

for listening

Fit for Work – key questions from employers

Healthcare

Transcript of Fit for Work – key questions from employers