ePolitix.com Stakeholders comment on the news that the health secretary, Alan Johnson, has outlined plans to get GPs to issue "well notes" instead of sick notes.

The well notes would set out what tasks a worker can perform, instead of certificates signing them off all work.

Party response: Liberal Democrats

Norman Lamb, spokesperson for health, said: "This serious issue deserves a more sophisticated approach, but we should be wary of moving to a system where doctors find themselves policing the benefits system, rather than treating the sick.

"If Alan Johnson is serious about helping the large number of people on long-term sick leave back to work, he should focus on providing better access to effective treatment for the huge numbers of people on incapacity benefit with mental health problems."

Stakeholder response: Business in the Community

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A spokesperson tols ePolitix.com: A healthy and committed workforce is the foundation to business success. Health secretary Alan Johnson today called on all employers to do more to promote the health and wellbeing of their staff.

Business Action on Health is a group set up by Business in the Community to increase UK business competitiveness through investing in employee health.

Standard Life Healthcare, a member of the campaign leadership team, believes it has lifted productivity 25 per cent in the last four years by promoting healthy working practices.

Louise Aston, director of Business Action on Health, said: "Well people who are well-managed will result in a healthy organisation where employees are engaged and productive, helping to drive your business and the bottom line.

"The Business Action on Health campaign supports the government's Health, Work and Wellbeing Strategy by promoting the business case for companies to invest in health as a boardroom issue. The campaign has committed itself to raise measuring and reporting of employee health among FTSE 100 companies from the current rate of 7 per cent to 75 per cent by 2011."

There is an urgent need for resources to support companies devise and manage effective workplace health programmes and communicate these initiatives to employees and other stakeholder audiences. The campaign has developed resources to meet that need, including 'Wealth from Health' which makes the robust business case using four generic key performance indicators that define a healthy workplace.

The campaign has also created a Healthy Workplaces Action Pack, with support from Towers Perrin, the global HR consultancy, a step-by-step guide to help companies develop and maintain a sustainable workplace programme.


Stakeholder response: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

To send a comment to the CIPD, click here

A spokesperson told ePolitix.com: "The CIPD has welcomed government plans to introduce a ‘well note’ to  encourage doctors to help people off work sick for long periods make phased returns to work in reduced-hours or less demanding roles.

"Recent research from the CIPD shows employers would support a radical revamp of the way in which GPs work to help people with health problems successfully return to work. More than three-quarters of employers surveyed by the CIPD would support a revamped Med 3 Sick note including more information on phased return to work possibilities.

"GPs are typically rated negatively by employers for the level of support they provide in helping people with health problems return to work. Almost 40% of employers rate GP support in this area as either very poor or fairly poor compared to only 20% who rate GP support as good or very good."

Ben Willmott, CIPD employee relations adviser, said: "Too many GPs are letting down patients signed off work with health problems by not communicating effectively with employers.  All the evidence shows that a phased return to work can frequently play a very beneficial role in people’s rehabilitation and recovery.

"We welcome the announcement by the Health Secretary Alan Johnson that GPs are to be required to provide better advice to employers and patients on return to work options. If government wants to achieve its objectives on welfare reform, it must act to ensure GPs are fully aware of the crucial role they have to play in working with employers to prevent people slipping out of employment and adding to the numbers claiming incapacity benefit.

"All too often the reality today is a quickly scribbled note signing someone off for another period of weeks.  This can contribute to long-term sickness absence, and often to extended periods on incapacity benefits."