Sickness absence

Introduction

Requests for advice regarding sickness absence may come from various sources:

  • The worker/patient
  • A doctor looking after him/her
  • The employer

Requests for advice may be directed to:

  • The General Practitioner
  • A hospital-based doctor
  • An occupational physician
  • Other health care workers in occupational health and elsewhere

Problem solving

What is the problem?

  • This may sound obvious but is not necessarily always the case. Besides explicit concerns, there may be hidden ones...

What information is needed to address the problem?

  • Information about the health status of the worker/patient, based from history or other sources
  • Information about the workplace and the job: The requirements for fitness and the possible effects of work on health, since this may be a significant contributor to the sickness absence or a hindrance to successful return to work
  • What about the sickness absence policy, other implications for the worker/patient?
  • What about prospects for rehabilitation (this might need to be considered in much more detail later)?

Important questions to answer:

  • Likely duration of absence
  • Residual disability
  • Implications for future work performance, attendance and safety
  • Need for workplace improvements
  • Rehabilitation and/or redeployment
  • Possible occupational causation of ill-health

Outcome and audit

The individual case

  • Make a plan for closing the loop - and checking on outcome: Perhaps getting the patient/worker to phone you back. What if s/he does not?

Your overall performance:

  • Plan for an audit

References