Member Article

Tipster: Taking the stress off GPs?

The Tipster was surfing the web early Saturday morning and came across an interesting report following a review commissioned by the government. It links in with some advice given in the past regarding stress and depression and long term sickness.

The report stated that about 300,000 people a year miss work because of long term sickness. More interestingly one of the authors of the report said a survey of GPs suggested that three quarters of them admitted signing off patients for reasons other than their physical health.

Essentially, what the report is recommending is a framework whereby an independent person to a GP will make recommendations as to how individuals might return to work or what other changes could take place in the workplace that would assist this process.

Obviously there are requirements under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments where the individual is disabled although recent cases suggest that putting someone on a programme of rehabilitation might not always be such an adjustment. However, it would seem that the government are trying to tackle issues such as long term sickness and therefore take the issue slightly out of the hands of GPs and being perhaps more forceful in providing a structure for the return to work.

Obviously cases need to be dealt with sensitively but the Tipster thinks this is a move in the right direction - ultimately long term sickness is not of any benefit to employers but nor is it to the employee who finds themselves divorced from their workplace and unable to return.

For further information about this tip or to learn more about Crutes’ services contact David Gibson on 0191 233 9762.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by David Gibson .