The guidance is a useful tool for managers and once again reinforces the need for integrated policies across NHS organisations to tackle staff health issues. It will help employers and employees work together to ensure that when someone is off work due to illness, the right support is available as early as possible so that they can return to work as soon as they can.
The key recommendations for employers are:
- ensuring the right policies are in place
- keeping in touch with employees who are off sick
- allowing properly trained, impartial people to liaise with employees while they are off sick
- involving specialists as appropriate
- consulting the employee about developing a return to work plan, and supportinf them in fully implementing the plan.
The recommendations in the guidance complement the advice given in the NHS Employers recent briefing paper Leading the NHS workforce through to recovery and the recommendations set out in the Boorman report on health and well-being in the NHS. Find out more on our health, work and well-being section.
For information on arrangements for managing sickness absence and ill health retirement, see our ill health retirement page.