Rank: Forum user 
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I'm referring to this: http://fitforwork.org/It hasn't been long out nationwide but has been piloted for a while in some areas. Can anyone give any feedback on the fit for work service now being offered? Has anyone seen the results of any referrals, e.g. any return to work plans? Has anyone referred an employee to this service or been contacted by them? I'm interested to see how the return to work plans they refer to are drawn up and if there is any employer involvement in creating them?
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Hi
I have not seen the outcome of referrals, but I understand it goes live on Monday for employers.
I have called them for advice a few times and it has been helpful to have their opinion.
GPs have been able to refer for sometime now, but I have not seen any feedback. It would be interesting to know how much the service is being used.
Ian
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Rank: Super forum user
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Confidence is low.
It is a "government funded" initiative, NOT run by the government.
In fact, it would seem to be run be the same mob that run the """"""health assessments""""""" for the much maligned (rightly so) DfWP.
So you gives your health data to a US company....hmmm.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Intresting thread, thanks for starting it.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Is it compulsory ?
The reason I ask is the web site states :-
If you have employees who are, or are likely to be, off work for four weeks or more, you may start to receive step-by-step Return to Work Plans tailored to your employees’ needs.
Or the employee may stop receiving benefits / other support, unless they take part ?
Chris
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Rank: Forum user
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Rank: Super forum user
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I think I should clarify, the last line on my post above is my comment.
Chris
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Rank: Forum user
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Not much coming back on this at the moment so here is something to ponder.
An employee is off work and is referred to this service by his GP. A return to work plan is created without input from the employer (which seems to be the way it is going to work) who declares it unworkable or just plain ignores it. The employee then stays off work, is eventually dismissed on capability grounds and goes mentally downhill because of this. He then seeks damages from his employer for causing his mental anguish by ignoring a reasonable return to work pathway.
This is all speculation of course, but I'm wondering if we should be paying more attention to this development as suddenly there is no excuse for lacking occ health support for return to work issues.
Thoughts?
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Rank: Super forum user
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Jimothy999 wrote:Not much coming back on this at the moment so here is something to ponder.
An employee is off work and is referred to this service by his GP. A return to work plan is created without input from the employer (which seems to be the way it is going to work) who declares it unworkable or just plain ignores it. The employee then stays off work, is eventually dismissed on capability grounds and goes mentally downhill because of this. He then seeks damages from his employer for causing his mental anguish by ignoring a reasonable return to work pathway.
This is all speculation of course, but I'm wondering if we should be paying more attention to this development as suddenly there is no excuse for lacking occ health support for return to work issues.
Thoughts? You mean you may have to do what you should be doing anyway?
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Rank: Super forum user
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Hi
This is only open to people who are in employment, and follows on from trials ran across the UK for a few years - notable Leicestershire Fit For Work, ran by Dr Rob Hampton - that had success. It should be based around the principals of vocational rehabilitation - a good return to work plan will speed recovery.
It is correct to say that it is voluntary, so the employee and the employer are not legally obliged to follow the advice.
It is mainly designed to help SMEs who do not have a lot of resource to refer to an Occupational Health Company.
The TUC have concerns that people will be forced back to work before they are ready, but the FFW scheme say they will not be trying to get people back before they are fit enough and that it will be a clinical decision.
Employers can now refer themselves, so this should give more input from the employer.
I would be interested to know peoples concrete experiences.
Ian
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Rank: Super forum user
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Since the FFW people are [basically] the same people who run the work assessment scheme [scam] for the .gov.uk, and seem to be happy to refer terminally ill people back to work, I doubt they should be taken seriously.
Who in their right mind wants their health info given to a US corporation?
I have no doubt that many GPs' will refer patients to it...they probably get paid "referral" fees.....
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Rank: Super forum user
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