Coming Soon: The privatised sick note service that will email you back to work

I can’t help but wonder if this will actually save money, or just put more of our money into the pockets of the privateers.

I also wonder, if you’re ill or injured and still under the care of a hospital or your GP, and they are saying you are too ill to work what will happen?

For example, about three years ago I broke my collar bone and was off work much longer than 4 weeks; my GP, doctor at the hospital and physiotherapist all said I was not to go back to work and to give the arm/shoulder complete rest.

Where would I be if, after four weeks some private company telephoned me and then sent an email saying ‘back to work, your sick pay stops tomorrow’ because they get paid more for getting me back to work- or more accurately finding a way to stop my benefit?

Well, let’s stop the bullshine; it’s a way to stop your sick pay and force you, ready or not to return to work- or possibly you’ll find yourself having to sign on for Job Seekers Allowance- which you won’t get because you’re not fit for work!

Westminster Confidential

In two months time the traditional doctor’s note excusing you from work will start to cease being valid if you are still sick after four weeks.

Just before Parliament went into the summer recess welfare reform minister, Lord Freud, announced that a US multinational company,Maximus, which also operates in Canada and Saudi Arabia will take over running the new Health and Work Service for England and Wales.

My report in this week’s Tribune  reveals that up to one million people will be affected by the change which appears to be aimed to save the government money.

Maximus runs call centres, occupational health programmes, child support and job seekers programmes abroad and in the United Kingdom.

The programme is to be rolled out from November to next May aims to save up to £165 million a year by getting people back to work faster as part of Lord Freud’s welfare…

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