What is national health and work service?

HR legal expert David Wight answers your question on the new National Health and Work Service. Staff sickness is always a problem for salon owners, they often feel powerless particularly when the absence is longer term and they have no idea if, or when, the employee is coming back, if their illness will affect or limit their skills, and what you can do as an employer to help. It has always been possible to get a medical report from a GP (for a fee); but realistically their focus is their patient and they aren’t occupational health experts. The government announced last year that it was going to launch a new service for smaller employers who don’t have access to occupational health advice. The details are now available and it’s called  the National Health and Work Service. Here are a few early questions regarding the new service. I am told there is a new service where I can refer my staff when they have been absent for a period of time. When is it likely to start? The launch date is late 2014 but initially it is only in certain areas of the country. It should be available nationally by spring 2015.The scheme is available in England, Scotland and Wales. How can the new service help salon owners? You will remember when fit notes were introduced the idea was that GPs would provide more information and hopefully staff would return to work earlier than would previously have been the case.  To be fair, most surveys have not shown this as a resounding success. The new service has similar aims, anything that gets people back to work is good; if it reduces the welfare bill then the government is especially happy. The new service will also be available to employees who can self-refer and GPs themselves. The scheme has many aims but essentially it’s about trying to get employees back to work earlier than is currently the case. Is there any cost for employers to use the new service? Not that I am aware of as yet; but remember since April smaller employers have no longer been able to re-cover the statutory sick payments (SSP) they have made and this money has been channelled to fund the new service. Can you clarify what the new service is actually going to do? The principle is as follows:

• When an employee has been off sick for four weeks, their GP will be able to refer them for an assessment. The assessments will be by a trained occupational health practitioner. If the GP doesn’t refer the employer can refer an employee themselves.
• Advice  for employers will also be available via a telephone helpline and website,
• The assessment may be carried out over the telephone or face-to-face.
• The scheme is about offering assessment and advice. Following the consultation a return to work plan is produced, with recommendations to assist an employee to get back to work asap.
• The recommendation might include medical treatment and the government has said it will introduce a tax exemption of up to £500 for each employee on medical treatments recommended by the Health and Work Service or arranged by the employer.

  My experience is that fit notes have made little difference. I am no longer able to recover SSP paid to staff in my salon. What prospect has this service of being cost effective? There is lots of evidence that professional occupational health advice is really effective. However I am afraid concerns have already been raised regarding this service before it has even started. Firstly the employee has to give their consent to make use of the service and for the report to be given to their employer. I would be concerned as to the extent a meaningful report can be produced without any employer input and based only on a telephone consultation without any examination.   David Wright advises Habia and a range of salons across the UK. For an all-inclusive fee of £225, plus VAT, per annum you are able to contact him with all your employment queries and he will guide you through difficult staff issues. The fee is all inclusive no matter how many times you need him. Contact David on 07930 358067, 01302 563691 or visit www.davidwrightpersonnelsupport.co.uk