Asked by: Lord Luce (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce legislation in relation to the Fit for Work scheme; and if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
There are no plans to introduce legislation in relation to Fit for Work.
Asked by: Lord Luce (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to reach conclusions following their review of the Fit for Work Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
The Green Paper consultation set out our ambition to transform employment prospects for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, and sought views on a range of issues including how to improve occupational health provision, drawing lessons from the Fit for Work service. We have been carefully considering the responses we received, to inform our approach to better supporting individuals to stay in and return to work. We will set out our plans for taking forward our ambitions in the Autumn.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Lord Luce and the Chronic Pain Policy Coalition for their response to the Green Paper consultation which has given us valuable insight.
Asked by: Lord Luce (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to publish their response to the Green Paper consultation <i>Improving Lives: Work, Health and Disability</i>.
Answered by Lord Henley
The consultation on the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper closed on 17th February 2017. During the consultation period we engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, and received a large number of responses from people and organisations across society. We are currently evaluating all that we have heard before deciding what our next steps should be. In moving forward we are committed to continuing to engage with stakeholders, to build upon the discussion and debate that has been started by the Green Paper.
Asked by: Lord Luce (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made on the implementation of the Fit for Work scheme; and whether the pilot schemes have been successful.
Answered by Lord Freud
From 9 March 2015, roll-out of the assessment service commenced. By the end of Summer 2015 all GPs in England and Wales will be able to refer to the service.
Fit for Work Scotland assessment service went live on 30 January 2015. Roll-out to all remaining NHS Boards in Scotland was completed on 29 June 2015.
Evaluation of the pilots was published in June 2015 in the report, ‘Evaluation of the 2010–13 Fit for Work Service pilots’.
Asked by: Lord Luce (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made with the establishment of the Health at Work Assessment and Advisory Service.
Answered by Lord Freud
Fit for Work, previously known as the Health and Work Service, is comprised of two elements:
i) Free, expert and impartial work-related health advice via a website and telephone line
ii) Referral to an occupational health professional for employees who are, or are expected to, undergo a period of sickness absence from work lasting four weeks or more. The Fit for Work occupational health professional will identify obstacles preventing the employee from returning to work and produce a Return to Work Plan tailored to the employee’s needs.
The advice element of Fit for Work went live in England and Wales in December 2014.
From January 2015 some GPs in the Sheffield area had the opportunity to try the assessment service. This will be expanded across the country over a period of months from spring, building on this experience and learning.
Fit for Work Scotland is being delivered by the Scottish Government; the advice element went live in December 2014 and the referral element went live, initially in three NHS Board areas, in January 2015. As with England and Wales, this will be expanded across Scotland from the spring.