Health and Work Service to be renamed

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The Health and Work Service (HWS) is expected to be renamed for a second time by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

COVER's sister title Workplace Savings and Benefits (WSB) understands that it will be called the Fit for Work service when it is introduced.

Originally the service was called the Independent Assessment Service following the proposal from Dame Carol Black and David Frost, but was changed to the Health and Work service (HWS) a year ago when WSB first revealed the DWP's full plans for it.

The name change comes just weeks after WSB revealed that the service is set to be delayed by a further two months - with a phased introduction expected to begin in December, not October as was previously planned.

The Fit for Work service will provide occupational health related assessments and support to employees who have been, or are expected to be, absent from work for at least four weeks.

It aims to provide a return to work plan to the employee to help support their return to the workplace.

GPs will be the primary referrer to the service, although employers will also be able to refer staff after they have been off for more than four weeks.

However, speaking exclusively to WSB earlier this summer, the operator of the service said it expected there to be an employee-only relationship with the service.

 

 

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