Responding to today’s announcement, EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, which has been closely involved in discussions with government departments on work and wellbeing issues, believes that a positive approach to occupational health can bring significant benefits for employers, employees and the UK economy.
The idea of a new Fit for Work service for employees in the early stages of sickness absence is especially welcomed by EEF and is likely to make the biggest difference to the health and work agenda
Commenting, Professor Sayeed Khan, EEF’s Chief Medical Adviser and one of the UK’s leading Occupational Health physicians, said:
“Today’s proposals represent a major step forward in tackling unnecessary sickness absence, getting people back to work and promoting a culture change so that people recognise work is actually good for them and their families. Employers, employees and the UK economy have substantial benefits to gain from a positive approach to Occupational Health.”
Commenting on proposals for a ‘well note’, an idea originally proposed by EEF, Professor Khan said:
“Too often there is an emphasis on what the employee cannot do rather than what they can do. This system should help us tackle sickness absence in a positive manner by enabling employees to return in a role that suits both the employer and employee. The burden felt by many doctors relating to sicknotes may also be improved with a drive to use a streamlined electronic system to improve communication between employer, employee and GP.”
According to EEF’s 2007 Sickness Absence survey, the main barriers to rehabilitation were the role of GPs in the sickness absence process, limited access to fast NHS services, employee resistance and waiting for a sicknote to expire. Also asked about the possibility of changes being made to the current one-week rule for GP certification of absence 98.8% of employers opposed self-certification for absence exceeding one week.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation is the representative voice of manufacturing in the UK with a federation of 11 regional Associations and ECIA, the Engineering Construction Industry Association and UK Steel. The EEF has a growing membership of almost 6,000 companies of all sizes, employing some 900,000 people from every sector of engineering, manufacturing, engineering construction and technology-based industries.
2. EEF provides its own Occupational Health service for companies which has its own dedicated website, www.occupationalhealth-eef.co.uk/
3. EEF has produced an award winning toolkit to help employers manage sickness absence. It is available from www.eef.org.uk
4. EEF will shortly publish its 2008 Sickness Absence Survey together with Unum
5. To help address these issues Professor Khan has worked with the Royal College of General Practitioners to pilot a national education programme for GPs in Occupational Health and is a member of the National stakeholders council of the government's Health, Work and Well-being strategy.