THE current sick note forms, issued by doctors in respect of illness or injury, have been heavily criticised for a number of years.
Employers often feel that there is a lack of assessment of an employee’s health, the issuing of a note is too frequent and gives too little information.
With effect from April 6, 2010, the sick note becomes a fit note.ŠThe system will not dramatically change; however, as part of the new fit note system, doctors will be able to advise whether an employee is unfit for work or may be fit for work.
Most obviously, the form will still be used as evidence for why an employee is unable to work due to an illness or injury. The form will still not be required until after the seventh day of sickness and there will be no changes to the payment of Statutory Sick Pay.
However, doctors will now be able to select an option concluding that the employee is fit to carry out some work with some support put in place (under the outgoing sick note system, the only options are fit/not fit for work).
The doctor can also provide more information on how the illness or injury will affect what they can carry out – and there are a series of tick boxes which a doctor can use to suggest common ways an employer can assist the employee in returning to work.
It is hoped that the new system will result in fewer employees being signed off from work where they are able to undertake some duties.
For example, the doctor could suggest altered hours, amended duties or even workplace adaptations – and it is hoped this additional information will remove the challenges that may currently exist preventing individuals from returning to work.
Employers will hopefully see this as a more positive development in sickness absence management; increased dialogue and input from an employee’s medical practitioner is something which many feel has been long overdue.
The importance of bringing an employee back into the workplace sooner rather than later, even on a phased basis, cannot be understated. Research suggests that the longer an employee is out of work, the less likely they are to return. Bringing the employee back in some way will hopefully increase the chances of a successful full time return to work in the future.
Businesses should also be aware of the need to proactively manage absence in other ways.
Relying on the sick note system may often not solve the problem, particularly where the doctor cannot be confident in making suggestions for particular employees.
Regular contact with the employee during absence is imperative, and for a more detailed assessment of the employee’s role and their fitness to carry out a particular role, companies should consider the services of occupational health therapists.
