“Fit Note” scheme an opportunity for insurers
A charity that helps people with disability find work is suggesting that the introduction of the Government’s “fit note” scheme in April could provide an opportunity for insurers.
Under the scheme, which aims to cut the cost of sick leave by around £240 million over the next 10 years, GPs will assess whether an employee is fit to return to work in a modified role and what employers can do to help.
According to The Shaw Trust, employers will therefore be faced with the new challenge of having to modify, adjust or find alternative duties for staff coming back following long-term ill health.
The charity believes insurers can help by integrating rehabilitation and return-to-work case management into their claims handling processes, or by offering a service under Employers’ Liability insurance.
Shaw Trust’s director of vocational rehabilitation services, Tony Urwin, says: “This change is going to place a tremendous new strain on employers as the majority are unlikely to have their own occupational health departments or resources to manage their employees’ return to work in line with GPs’ advice.”
He adds: “Utilising rehabilitation in personal injury claims is without doubt the most effective tool for getting claimants back into the workplace, whether that’s to their current role, a new role at the same company or a completely new job with a new employer.”
Official figures show that around 350,000 people leave work to claim health-related benefits every year and around 172 million working days are lost in Britain each year due to sickness absence.
Category: Business Insurance News, Health Insurance News, Insurance News
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