The trial aims to reduce the 11.2 million 'fit notes' issued last year and the 2.8 million economically inactive due to health reasons. It also seeks to help employers by providing alternative options like therapy plans or job coaching.
GPs in England are to stop issuing sick notes under a trial designed to keep people in work and cut the UK's eye-watering benefits bill.
Those seeking to be signed off work will be offered a range of personalised alternative options that could include seeing a job coach or therapy plans including exercise or gardening, it was reported. Last year more than 11.2 million 'fit notes' were issued, an increase of almost 300,000 on the previous year, at a time when some 2.8million people are now economically inactive for health reasons.
The most common reasons for notes to be issued are mental health complains including depression and back problems. Four pilot schemes will look at ways to keep people in work or help people back into work, two of which will see patients kept away from GPs and dealt with by occupational therapists and 'social prescribers'. The Financial Times cited allies of Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden as saying he sees fit notes as a 'dead end'.
A report by former John Lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield released in November warned that the UK is 'sliding into an avoidable crisis'. He urged a reduced reliance on fit notes, with ill health among workers costing the country around 7 per cent of GDP and UK employers around £85 billion a year.
Those seeking to be signed off work will be offered a range of personalised alternative options that could include seeing a job coach or therapy plans including exercise or gardening, it was reported. The Financial Times cited allies of Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden as saying he sees fit notes as a 'dead end'.
The report told of a culture of fear among workers around ill health, a lack of an effective or consistent support system for employers and employees in managing health, and structural challenges for disabled people. Earlier this year the government rolled out the WorkWell programme expanded across England, aimed at ensuring people are not 'written off' sick.
People involved in the scheme will be offered physiotherapy for back pain and mobility issues, counselling and psychological support for mental health issues – while employers will be given advice on helping accommodate health conditions in the workplace. Of the people supported through the pilot programme, almost half had reported mental illness as their main barrier to employment, while six in 10 were out of work at their first appointment for WorkWell.
Trial Personalized Alternative Options Social Prescribers Occupational Therapists Job Coach Therapy Plans Exercise Gardening Mental Health Complaints Back Problems Work And Pensions Secretary Pat Mcfadden Sir Charlie Mayfield Financial Times Workwell Programme
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