GPs could loose responsibility for sick notes

[andy2007]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/8900328 ... notes.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


GPs could lose responsibility for sick notes

Sick people could be signed off long-term work by an independent panel rather than their family doctor, a report is likely to say next week.

Back pain, other muscular problems and stress are the main causes of long-term sickness absence Photo: ALAMY

By Rowena Mason, Political correspondent

9:30PM GMT 18 Nov 2011

114 Comments

A new body could decide whether people are fit to work, according to drafts of the Government's Independent Review into Sickness Absence.

Employers would be able to ask the assessment panel, rather than GPs, to make independent decisions.

It is likely to say that family doctors can be too quick to sign people off on sick leave because there is no incentive for them to help people stay in work.

Other suggestions will look at matching those on long-term sick leave with more appropriate jobs and tax breaks for employers who help lower paid staff get back into work.

The report was commissioned as the Government is aiming to cut the cost of sickness to the state and employers.

The bill is estimated at £60 billion per year for the state in welfare, lost taxes and medical care. The Confederation of British

Industry believes that absent workers cost businesses £17 billion per year.

The review is jointly chaired by David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce and Dame Carol Black, an NHS director for health and work.

Launching the work earlier this year, Mr Frost said the current situation was “unsustainable” for both private employers and the state.

"Sickness absence undoubtedly has a huge impact on businesses – particularly on smaller firms that struggle with the processes and procedures required, not to mention the direct costs involved," he said at the time.

“The private sector must focus on growth if we are to sustain the recovery, so it is right that the Government has chosen to look at ways to reduce sickness absence in the workplace and get people back into employment.”

Ed Davey, the employment minister, claimed that “managing sickness absence more effectively will be a win-win situation for all - businesses, individuals, the taxpayer and crucially, the economy.”

A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions statement declined to comment on the contents of the report.

The Government’s tough reforms of the welfare system are aimed at reducing the number of people claiming benefits for being sick or disabled.

Ministers have pledged changes to the system following a fivefold increase in the number of people claiming to be unfit to work since the 1970s.

[arnold cheshire]

atos will make even more money superb

[DirtyHarry]

Anyone fancy a spot of slavery?
I will always be of the opinion, that if anybody is qualified to judge whether or not another person is sick, it will be a DOCTOR, NOT anybody on a, what do they call it? A so-called "independent" panel???
What next will these rich w*****s come up with?

[DGP1]

They say it'll save £300million...............but they don't say how much it'll cost to have a panel decide on everybody on the sick. This is one of those right wing, no common sense, in the pockets of big business stupid plans that the Tories will probably force in only for it to cost way more than it saves (but I'm sure somebody will get a directorship or two from it).

[MinisterofCucumber]

Privatisation of NHS:

Step 1: Replace sick note with fit note.

Step 2: Replace patient's GP with independent panel of doctors.

Step 3: Replace panels with private firms.

Step 4: Transfer GPs over to private firms.

[stokes11eg]

nd then we die!

[Royal_Fail]

Was just reading this on bbc site thinking how they gonna save money by employing a panel of experts now i see will be atos pocketing the savings no doubt

[arnold cheshire]

and where is this so called independepent agency going to be operating ???????? in the gp surgery ? or 30 miles from where you live ?? i hate these tory snobs :dcfo :vcfo :ncfo

[fishtank]

How ATOS could be put in charge of GP ‘sick notes’
http://liberalconspiracy.org/2011/11/19 ... ick-notes/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

by Paul Cotterill
November 19, 2011 at 12:56 pm

So the same GPs who are to be entrusted with the £80bn NHS budget from April 2013 may be stripped of their role in telling people whether they are too sick to work or not:

A new body could decide whether people are fit to work, according to drafts of the Government’s Independent Review into Sickness Absence. Employers would be able to ask the assessment panel, rather than GPs, to make independent decisions.
…
It is likely to say that family doctors can be too quick to sign people off on sick leave because there is no incentive for them to help people stay inwork.

“No incentive,” eh?

Perhaps the now well-developed and successful Quality & Outcomes Framework doesn’t count, even though it is specifically designed to “reward practices for the provision of ‘quality care’”.

It also includes financial rewards for care which promotes people getting into work (e.g. see p.97), as well as explicitly recognising the general link between employment and good health (e.g. p.125).

This new review has been co-chairedby Dame Carol Black, a NHS director for health and work. I’m sure this briefing from the Commercial Occupational Health Providers Association (COHPA) is entirely coincidental:

COHPA has been active politically in trying to represent the interests of commercial OH providers to Dame Carol Black, Government and key bodies in the industry.

We have met with Dame Carol and Ministers from DWP /senior HSE (etc) to put our views across about the future of OH. We hold seats on Dame Carol’s select committee for OH and the Council for Work and Health.

And we’re sure it’s entirely coincidental that COHPA was founded by ATOS Healthcare, which owns ATOS origin, which already has a £500m contract to conduct incapacity assessments, but which doesn’t necessarily do them very well.

In any event, we’re sure, should it comes to pass, that a key element of primary care provision will be safe in ATOS’s hands.

[fishtank]

Say this happens and ATOS end up running this panel.
How would that work?
It would have to at least be seen to be independent of direct employer interference.
I have a sick line from my ATOS panel.
We would like to refer you to ATOS.
I've just seen them...they gave me the sick line dumbass.
No that's NHS Atos...We want you to see RM Atos.
...but it's the same doctor-ish-nurse-practitioner-call centre operator.

[clashcityrocker]

Say this happens and ATOS end up running this panel.
How would that work?

The same way it "works" now.
ATOS RM - you are ill health retired
ATOS DWP (later the same day) - you are fit for work.

[POSTMAN]

Have I soon got to go to Sheffield then for me farmers cream?

[Carp]

Anyone fancy a spot of slavery?
I will always be of the opinion, that if anybody is qualified to judge whether or not another person is sick, it will be a DOCTOR, NOT anybody on a, what do they call it? A so-called "independent" panel???
What next will these rich w*****s come up with?

Spot on mate.Since,whats the point in being a doctor if your are going to be overuled by independent penpushers etc...

[kingofmcr]

all those who voted tory say YAYYYYYYYYYYYY rah rah