28 October 2004 - DWP Framework on Vocational Rehabilitation for the Stay in and Return to Work Initiative
The aim of the VR is to assist in the return and access to work of people who have a health condition or injury, which may be perceived as being a stumbling block to remaining in or returning to the workforce.
A document Building Capacity for work - a UK Framework for Vocational Rehabilitation has just been published for the VR initiative, which includes the following:
- taking appropriate action to ensure Government initiatives related to VR complement each other and contain consistent messages
- setting up a Framework for VR Steering Group to enable stakeholders to contribute to the development of the new approach to VR
- establishing a Research Working Group and a Standards and Accreditation Working Group to take forward these important issues
- developing new guidance and additional tools in recognition that many stakeholders are already committed to VR and are looking for help, for example the HSE's new guidance Managing sickness absence and return to work
Minister for Work, Jane Kennedy commented:
"We are embarking on a new approach to helping people who have developed a health condition, impairment or injury to maintain their employment rather than facing enforced withdrawal from the workplace.
Absence management is a critically important issue for many businesses - the CBI estimated the overall cost of sickness absence to the economy was £11 billion in 2002. And in the context of Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance, more could be done to minimise the effects of illness caused or made worse by work activities.
The Framework will initially focus on how to help people in work to maintain their jobs. In the longer term, as we work to develop the new approach to Vocational Rehabilitation, we will look at addressing the separate, but related barriers to work individuals who are not in the workforce face.The Government wants to enable more people with a health condition, impairment or injury to access, remain in or return to work for the benefit of all concerned, not least individuals themselves, and their employers.
We can do this by offering appropriate help to access and return to work. We feel strongly that vocational rehabilitation has the potential to contribute to helping us and others deliver these goals."
The DWP framework for Vocational Rehabilitation can be accessed by clicking the following link: DWP - Resource centre - Vocational rehabilitation
Article by Alexandra Johnston
