The following
details have been supplied by the PCS DWP Group:
New independent assessment service
DWP Sick Leave Procedure
and Fit Note Advice have been revised for the introduction of Return to Work
Plans from a new government funded advice service called ‘Fit for Work’.
The GOV.UK website explains that:
·
Fit for Work...provides
an occupational health assessment and general health and work advice to
employees, employers and GPs
·
Fit for Work will
complement, and not replace, existing occupational health services provided by
employers.
·
Fit for Work is a Great
Britain wide service. In England and Wales it will be provided by Health
Management Limited. In Scotland it will be provided by the Scottish Government
on behalf of DWP and will be known as Fit for Work Scotland.
Key things you need to know revised
DWP Sick Leave ‘Key things’ for Medical Evidence
have been revised: If your GP refers you
to an external Occupational Health provider, you will be issued with a Return
to Work Plan. This is treated as medical evidence and you should forward this
in the same way as you would do with a Fit Note. You should inform your GP that
there is an Occupational Health service in place at work.
Sick Leave Procedure revised
DWP
Sick Leave Procedure has been revised to take account of Return to Work Plans issued by Fit for Work:
·
Medical Evidence – Procedure 5.3
confirms: If the GP has
referred the employee to an external OH provider, the employee may be given a
Return to Work Plan. This should also be accepted as medical evidence.
·
Referring to Occupational Health Service -Procedure 6.7 confirms: It is not necessary for
the manager to make a referral to the external Occupational Health service as
the internal OH service is the primary source of occupational health support.
Advice
There
will be a phased roll out of the new service over a period of months during
2015.
The British Medical Association (BMA) has warned
that it will boycott the new service if doctors felt it was forcing people back
to work. The BMA warns if GPs feel the new service is punitive, or is seen as
part of a system to drive people off benefits, they will very quickly
disengage.
Members should
inform their GP that there is an OHS in place at work and only use the new
service if their GP identifies an advantage to do so in their personal case.
