Fit Notes May Help People With MS Stay In Work, UK

Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis
Article Date: 28 Nov 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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The MS Trust welcomes moves by the government to encourage employers to take a more informed view of the needs of employees with multiple sclerosis.

The so called 'fit note', which the government has announced they intend to introduce in England by 2010, will allow allowing doctors to say what work an individual can do as well as what they cannot.

For people with a variable condition such as MS, who might previously have been signed off work entirely for a period of time, this could mean the chance to get back to work sooner with their duties temporarily amended to take account of their condition.

The success of the system will depend on GPs being able to accurately and sensitively assess both an individual's ability to do work-related tasks and their ability to cope with the working environment.

Employers will also need to be flexible and to fulfil their commitments under the Disability Discrimination Act.

Pam Macfarlane, Chief Executive of the MS Trust said, "We welcome any changes that help people with MS to stay in work, as we know this means a lot more to peoples' well-being than just their pay cheque. We wait to see how this new system works in practice".

MS Trust