Health is everyone's business - government consultation on proposals to reduce ill health-related job loss

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* 1. Do you agree that, in addition to government support, there is a role for employers to support employees with health conditions, who are not already covered by disability legislation, to support them to stay in work?

Strongly agree

Agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

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* 2. Why do you think employers might not provide support to employees with health conditions not already covered by disability legislation to help them stay in work?

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* 3. Do you agree that a new ‘right to request work(place) modifications’ on health grounds could be an effective way to help employees to receive adjustments to help them stay in work?

Yes

Don't know (please give reasons)

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* 4. If the government were to implement this new right to request work(place) modifications, who should be eligible?

Any employee returning to work after a period of long-term sickness absence of four or more weeks;

Any employee with a cumulative total of 4+ weeks sickness absence in a 12-month period;

Any employee returning to work after any period of sickness absence;

Any employee who is able to demonstrate a need for a work(place) modification on health grounds;

Other (please state)

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* 5. How long do you think an employer would need to consider and respond formally to a statutory request for a work(place) modification?

0-4 weeks

5-8 weeks

9-12 weeks

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* 6. Do you think that it is reasonable to expect all employers to consider requests made under a new ‘right to request’ work(place) modifications?

Yes

No (please specify why)

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* 7. Do you think that it is reasonable to expect all employers to provide a written response setting out their decision to the employee?

Yes

No (please specify why)

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* 8. Please identify what you would consider to be legitimate business reasons for an employer to refuse a new right to request for a work(place) modification made on health grounds:

The extent of an employer’s financial or other resources;

The extent of physical change required to be made by an employer to their business premises in order to accommodate a request;

The extent to which it would impact on productivity;

Other (please specify)

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* 9. Following Q8 - Please give further views in support of your response

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* 10. The government thinks there is a case for strengthened statutory guidance that prompts employers to demonstrate that they have taken early, sustained and proportionate action to support employees return to work. Do you agree?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

If no, please give reasons for your answer

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* 11. If yes, would principle-based guidance provide employers with sufficient clarity on their obligations, or should guidance set out more specific actions for employers to take?

Principle-based guidance provides employers with sufficient clarity;

Guidance should set out more specific actions for employers to take;

Don’t know;

Not applicable

Other (please state)

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* 12. The government seeks views from employers, legal professionals and others as to what may be the most effective ways in which an employer could demonstrate that they had taken – or sought to take – early, sustained and proportionate action to help an employee return to work. For example, this could be a note of a conversation, or a formal write-up.
As an employer, what support would you need to meet a legal requirement to provide early, sustained and proportionate support to help an employee to stay in work or return to work from a long-term sickness absence?

Better quality employer information and guidance;

More easily accessible employer information and guidance;

Easier access to quality OH services;

Other (please state)

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* 13. As an employee: in your experience, what actions has your employer taken to support your health at work? Please describe how these were effective or ineffective.

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* 14. As an employee: what further support/adjustments would you have liked to receive from your employer?

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* 15. All respondents: in order for employers to provide effective return to work support, what action is needed by employees? Select all that apply.

To have discussions with their employer to identify barriers preventing a return to work and to inform workplace support;

To agree a plan with their employer to guide the return to work process;

To engage with OH services;

Other (please specify)

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* 16. All respondents: do you think the current SSP system works to prompt employers to support an employee’s return to work?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Please give reasons for your answer.

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* 17. All respondents: what support would make it easier to provide phased returns to work during a period of sickness absence?

Guidance on how to implement a good phased return to work;

A legal framework for a phased return to work which includes rules on how it should be agreed and implemented;

Clearer medical or professional information on whether a phased return to work is appropriate; or

Other (please specify)

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* 18. All respondents: would the removal of rules requiring identification of specific qualifying days help simplify SSP eligibility?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Please give reasons for your answer.

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* 19. Do you agree that SSP should be extended to include employees earning below the lower earnings limit?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Please give reasons for your response.

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* 20. All respondents: for employees earning less than the LEL, would payment of SSP at 80% of earnings strike the right balance between support for employees and avoiding the risk of creating a disincentive to return to work?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Please give reasons for your answer.

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* 21. Do you agree that rights to SSP should be accrued over time?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Please give reasons for your response.

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* 22. Should the government take a more robust approach to fining employers who fail to meet their SSP obligations?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Please give reasons for your answer.

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* 23. Do you think that the enforcement approach for SSP should mirror National Minimum Wage enforcement?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Please give reasons for your answer.

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* 24. Do you support the SSP1 form being given to employees four weeks before the end of SSP to help inform them of their options?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Please give reasons for your answer.

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* 25. All respondents: how could a rebate of SSP be designed to help employers manage sickness absence effectively and support their employees to return to work?

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* 26. All respondents: at this stage, there are no plans to change the rate or length of SSP. The government is interested in views on the impact of the rate and length of SSP on employer and employee behaviour and decisions.
In your view, would targeted subsidies or vouchers be effective in supporting SMEs and the self-employed to overcome the barriers they face in accessing OH?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Please give reasons for your answer.

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* 27. Please provide any evidence that targeted subsidies or vouchers could be effective or ineffective in supporting SMEs and the self-employed to overcome the upfront cost of accessing OH services.

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* 28. In your view, would potentially giving the smallest SMEs or self-employed people the largest subsidy per employee be the fairest way of ensuring OH is affordable for all?

Yes

Don't know

If no or don't know - what would be better?

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* 29. All respondents: what type of support should be prioritised by any potential, targeted OH subsidy for SMEs and/or self-employed people?

OH assessments and advice;

Training, instruction or capacity building (e.g. for managers and leads);

OH recommended treatments.

Please give reasons and details of any other categories of support you think should be included.

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* 30. How could the government ensure that the OH services purchased using a subsidy are of sufficient quality?

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* 31. As an OH provider, would you be willing to submit information about the make-up of your workforce to a coordinating body?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Not applicable

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* 32. If you answered no, maybe or don’t know to Q31, what are your reasons for not providing your data?

Time;

Cost;

Confidentiality;

Do not see the benefit;

Other (please specify)

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* 33. As an OH provider, expert or interested party, what are your views on private OH providers’ involvement in the training of the clinical workforce?

Private providers should be more involved;

Private providers should be more involved but with additional support;

Private providers should not be more involved.

Not applicable

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* 34. If providers should be more involved but will need support, what additional support would be needed?

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* 35. As an OH provider, expert or interested party, what changes to the training and development of the OH workforce could support the delivery of quality and cost-effective services?

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* 36. As an OH provider, should there be a single body to coordinate the development of the OH workforce in the commercial market?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Not applicable

Please state reasons for your answer.

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* 37. If you answered yes to Q36, what should it's role be?

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* 38. As an OH provider, what would encourage providers, particularly smaller providers, to invest in research and innovation in OH service delivery?

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* 39. What approaches do you think would be most effective in terms of increasing access to OH services for self-employed people and small employers through the market? Please order in terms of priority:

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* 40. If applicable, what other approaches do you think would be effective? Please explain the reasons for your answer.

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* 41. As an OH provider, expert or interested party, what more could be done to increase the pace of innovation in the market?

Co-funding;

Access to finance;

Help with innovation or evaluation;

Commercial advice;

Don’t know;

Not applicable

Other – please state

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* 42. As an OH provider, expert, interested party, what methods would you find most helpful for finding out about new evidence and approaches that could improve your service?

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* 43. As an employer, what indicators of quality and compliance arrangements would help you choose an OH provider?

Work outcomes;

Quality marks;

Process times;

Customer reviews;

Don’t know;

Indicators won’t help

Other (please specify)

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* 44. As a provider, what indicators of quality could help improve the standard of services in the OH market?

Work outcomes;

Quality marks;

Process times;

Customer reviews;

Don't know;

Indicators won't help

Not applicable

Other (please specify)

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* 45. All respondents: how could work outcomes be measured in a robust way?

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* 46. All respondents: do you have suggestions for actions not proposed here which could improve capacity, quality and cost effectiveness in the OH market?

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* 47. Do you need more information, advice and guidance?

Yes

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* 48. If so, what content is missing?

Legal obligations and responsibilities/employment law;

Recruiting disabled people and people with health conditions;

Workplace adjustments, such as Access to Work;

Managing sickness absence;

Managing specific health conditions;

Promoting healthier workplaces;

Occupational health and health insurance;

Best practice and case studies;

Links to other organisations, campaigns and networks;

Local providers of services and advice;

Other (please specify)

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* 49. What would you recommend as the best source of such new advice and information?

The main government portal (GOV.UK);

The Health and Safety Executive;

Jobcentre Plus;

Other (please specify)

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* 50. As an employer, where do you go for buying advice and support when purchasing, or considering purchasing, OH services?

Internet search;

Professional/personal contact;

Legal sources;

HR person (in-house or external);

Accountant or other financial specialist;

Don’t know;

I don’t seek advice or support

Other (please specify)

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* 51. As an employer, what additional information would you find useful when purchasing, or considering purchasing, OH services?

Online questionnaire to help you identify what type of services you could benefit from;

Toolkit that could include information on OH referral and assessment process;

Basic online information on the process of buying OH services;

Provider database;

Comparison website;

Information on the value of OH services.

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* 52. All respondents: do you agree with the proposal to introduce a requirement for employers to report sickness absence to government?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Please give reasons for your answer.

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* 53. As a small or medium sized employer, would you find it helpful to receive prompts to information or advice when you have an employee on a sickness absence?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Please give reasons for your answer.

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* 54. Do you think this overall package of measures being explored in this consultation provides the right balance between supporting employees who are managing a health condition or disability, or on sickness absence, and setting appropriate expectations and support for employers?

Yes

Maybe

Don't know

Please give reasons for your response.