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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| New Health and Work Service to get long-term sick back to work | New Health and Work Service to get long-term sick back to work |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| People off sick for more than four weeks are to be offered advice to get them back to work more quickly under a scheme being set up by the government. | People off sick for more than four weeks are to be offered advice to get them back to work more quickly under a scheme being set up by the government. |
| The Health and Work Service, which will cover England, Wales and Scotland, will offer non-compulsory medical assessments and treatment plans. | The Health and Work Service, which will cover England, Wales and Scotland, will offer non-compulsory medical assessments and treatment plans. |
| It will be run by the private sector and paid for by scrapping compensation to employers for statutory sick pay. | It will be run by the private sector and paid for by scrapping compensation to employers for statutory sick pay. |
| Ministers say employers will save money overall by having fewer staff off sick. | Ministers say employers will save money overall by having fewer staff off sick. |
| They said it may save companies up to £70m a year in reduced sickness pay and related costs. | They said it may save companies up to £70m a year in reduced sickness pay and related costs. |
| Labour's shadow work and pensions minister, Kate Green, said: "Any help to cut number of days lost to sickness is welcome, but with the government's Work Programme helping just 5% of people on sickness and disability benefits into jobs, it is clear much more needs to done to help people get back to work." | |
| No law change | No law change |
| The new scheme will not entail any change to existing laws. | The new scheme will not entail any change to existing laws. |
| At present, staff who are off work for more than four weeks are considered to be long-term sick and entitled to Statutory Sick Pay of almost £90 per week from their employers. | At present, staff who are off work for more than four weeks are considered to be long-term sick and entitled to Statutory Sick Pay of almost £90 per week from their employers. |
| That will not change under the new arrangements - but the government wants the Health and Work Service to cut the number of people on long-term sick leave. | That will not change under the new arrangements - but the government wants the Health and Work Service to cut the number of people on long-term sick leave. |
| Under the scheme, employers or GPs will be able to refer employees for a work-focused occupational health assessment. | Under the scheme, employers or GPs will be able to refer employees for a work-focused occupational health assessment. |
| This is intended to identify the issues preventing an employee from returning to work and draw up a plan for them, their GP and their employer, recommending how the employee can be helped back to work more quickly. | This is intended to identify the issues preventing an employee from returning to work and draw up a plan for them, their GP and their employer, recommending how the employee can be helped back to work more quickly. |
| This may include fitness for work advice, medical care, working from home or retraining. | This may include fitness for work advice, medical care, working from home or retraining. |
| The scheme is not compulsory. Workers will be allowed to refuse to be assessed or to follow any course of action or treatment recommended. | The scheme is not compulsory. Workers will be allowed to refuse to be assessed or to follow any course of action or treatment recommended. |
| The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says it is intended that the service will start operating this year. | The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says it is intended that the service will start operating this year. |
| It will be run by the private sector, with the firms managing it decided by a tendering process. | It will be run by the private sector, with the firms managing it decided by a tendering process. |
| 'Outdated' | 'Outdated' |
| The service will be paid for by scrapping the Statutory Sick Pay Percentage Threshold Scheme (PTS), which gives some compensation to employers faced with high levels of sickness absence. | The service will be paid for by scrapping the Statutory Sick Pay Percentage Threshold Scheme (PTS), which gives some compensation to employers faced with high levels of sickness absence. |
| The government says PTS is "an outdated system which does nothing to promote or support active management of sickness absences by either the employer or employee". | The government says PTS is "an outdated system which does nothing to promote or support active management of sickness absences by either the employer or employee". |
| Minister for Disabled People Mike Penning rejected suggestions that ending PTS was about the government saving money. | Minister for Disabled People Mike Penning rejected suggestions that ending PTS was about the government saving money. |
| He said the compensation to employers under PTS amounted to only £10 a week on average for each employee. | He said the compensation to employers under PTS amounted to only £10 a week on average for each employee. |
| "We think we can use that money much better," he said. | "We think we can use that money much better," he said. |
| In return for losing that compensation employers would instead have access to an occupational health scheme. | In return for losing that compensation employers would instead have access to an occupational health scheme. |
| He said employers should regard that as "a good investment". | He said employers should regard that as "a good investment". |
| The financial loss to business from ending PTS would also be offset by a reduction in lost working days, earlier return to work and increased economic output created by the new scheme, the DWP said. | The financial loss to business from ending PTS would also be offset by a reduction in lost working days, earlier return to work and increased economic output created by the new scheme, the DWP said. |
| It said small businesses, which do not generally have occupational health services, would particularly benefit. | It said small businesses, which do not generally have occupational health services, would particularly benefit. |
| Forced back | Forced back |
| Mr Penning said sickness absence had a "substantial impact" on workers, employers and taxpayers. | Mr Penning said sickness absence had a "substantial impact" on workers, employers and taxpayers. |
| "As part of the government's long-term economic plan, we are taking action to get people back into work," he said. | "As part of the government's long-term economic plan, we are taking action to get people back into work," he said. |
| "This is a triple-win. It will mean more people with a job, reduced cost for business, and a more financially secure future for Britain." | "This is a triple-win. It will mean more people with a job, reduced cost for business, and a more financially secure future for Britain." |
| The Trades Union Congress said it supported anything that could help people get back to work when they are ill, and that being in a rewarding job with a supportive employer could be good for your health. | The Trades Union Congress said it supported anything that could help people get back to work when they are ill, and that being in a rewarding job with a supportive employer could be good for your health. |
| But it said care should be taken over how the scheme was implemented. | But it said care should be taken over how the scheme was implemented. |
| The TUC's head of health and safety, Hugh Robertson, said: "The focus of this service should be about getting them [workers] better as opposed to just back to work and the two are not necessarily the same." | The TUC's head of health and safety, Hugh Robertson, said: "The focus of this service should be about getting them [workers] better as opposed to just back to work and the two are not necessarily the same." |
| The danger was that people would be forced back to work before they were well. | The danger was that people would be forced back to work before they were well. |
| Mr Robertson added: "Also there is nothing which can force employers to do anything with the advice they are given [by occupational health experts]." | Mr Robertson added: "Also there is nothing which can force employers to do anything with the advice they are given [by occupational health experts]." |
| Pensions Minister Steve Webb denied that people would be forced back to work prematurely. | Pensions Minister Steve Webb denied that people would be forced back to work prematurely. |
| He said: "It is about sitting down and supporting people, saying What help and support do you need to make sure this sickness absence is not any longer than it needs to be." | He said: "It is about sitting down and supporting people, saying What help and support do you need to make sure this sickness absence is not any longer than it needs to be." |
| About one million people in Britain are off work long-term because of illness, according to the government. | About one million people in Britain are off work long-term because of illness, according to the government. |
| The rate of absence through sickness is among the lowest in Europe and has halved over the past decade. | The rate of absence through sickness is among the lowest in Europe and has halved over the past decade. |