A NEW scheme could get hundreds of people who are off work and long-term sick get back into employment.

New government service Fit for Work is being rolled out in Bolton this month through the borough’s GP practices.

Fit for Work provides occupational health professional services for anyone who is employed but has been, or is likely to be, off work for four weeks or more due to illness.

All GPs in Bolton, as well as in Bury, Manchester, Trafford, Wigan and Salford, can now refer patients to the free and voluntary service with their consent.

Patients who take part will receive a consultation within two days of being referred, to talk about work, health and personal issues which may be preventing a return to employment.

A personal “return to work plan” will then be created which will contain advice for the employee and employer but will only be shared with employers if the patient is willing.

It is hoped the scheme will replace the need for GPs to issue repeated “fitness to work notes” — and so will relieve pressure on GP’s time.

Dr Mike Bewick, deputy medical director for NHS England, said: “NHS England welcomes Fit for Work as an opportunity to support people working in England and Wales who currently have no access to expert occupational health advice.

“This service will help GPs provide holistic care to their patients, while reducing the pressure of ill health associated with managing people who become long term unemployed.”

It is estimated across Greater Manchester tens of thousands of people each year are off work and long-term sick.

The scheme is expected to be of benefit in reducing the impact of long-term sickness absence on smaller businesses who do not have their own occupational health teams.

Dr Lucy Goundry, clinical lead for the Fit for Work programme, said: “GPs are under more pressure than ever to deliver complex services.

“In such an environment, being able to support patients with high quality occupational health advice that takes a holistic approach will help patients.

“GPs have long called for such a service and we are delighted to be able to provide an independent referral service that will make occupational health support accessible to the wider working population as well as provide a vital line of support for GPs in Bolton.”

Dr Stephen Liversedge, clinical director for primary care and health improvement at NHS Bolton CCG, said: "The longer someone is off work, the harder it is to return to any kind of employment. Fit For Work is a good initiative that could support a return to work. 

"People who are off work for four weeks or more often discover that there is an impact on psychological as well as physical health, even if the original problem is physical. 

"Fit for Work gives the patient an opportunity to get an individualised, tailored advice from an occupational health professional.

"We will disseminating this initiative to GPs to consider for their patients, where both the patient and the GP agree that it would help."