Archive for June, 2012

Atos Healthcare: The Work Capability Assessment Questionnaire

When customers are referred by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to Atos Healthcare as part of their assessment to entitlement to benefit, they usually have lots of questions about what will happen next.

We’ve recently updated the Frequently Asked Questions section of our website, which provides lots of information about our role and what to expect when you contact us or attend an assessment.

We also monitor questions that you ask us directly, either through calls to our contact centre or emails to our website. If we come across a topic that we haven’t covered, we will add it in.  So please do let us know if you have any questions about our

Atos Healthcare - Work Capability Assessment - WCA

process that aren’t already covered and we’ll see if we can add any further information to our website.

Recently we’ve received lots of queries about the questionnaire that’s sent out to customers due to attend a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

What is the WCA questionnaire?

The WCA questionnaire is also known as the “ESA50”.  It will be sent to you if DWP refer you to Atos Healthcare for a WCA.

What if I’ve filled in the questionnaire before?

Some people may have completed a questionnaire and been through the assessment before.  At intervals DWP will review each claim to see if there are any changes to a person’s condition.

When this happens, a new questionnaire will be sent so you can provide the latest information to support your claim.  This you may fill in the form several times during your ESA claim period.This is the same for everyone on ESA and it is a normal part of the process.

What do I need to know when filling it out?

The questionnaire is used at each stage of the assessment so it’s really important to fill it in with as much detail as possible.

If you need help in completing the claim, need to get another copy or need to explain why you may be late in returning it, you should contact the local DWP office dealing with your claim.  If you’re receiving support from a local healthcare p

rofessional or treatment advisor, they may also be able to help or provide extra information.   Local welfare groups can also be very helpful.

Is there any other information I need to provide?

You are asked to send in any medical documents that may support your claim along with the questionnaire.

What happens next?

Once the questionnaire has been received by Atos Healthcare, a doctor, nurse or physiotherapist who’s trained in disability assessment will look through the questionnaire and, if necessary, ask the contact centre to arrange an appointment with you.

Is there anything else I need to do?

There’s no need to call to check whether the questionnaire has been received, but it is important you make sure it’s sent in good time.Atos Healthcare-ESA50-Questionnaire

What happens if I don’t return the questionnaire on time?

If you have a mental health condition and your questionnaire isn’t received by the deadline set by DWP, an appointment will be arranged so we can discuss how your illness affects you.

If you don’t have a mental health condition, your referral will be returned to DWP for their consideration and they’ll contact you directly.

At busy times, it may take longer for Atos to process the questionnaire.  If you experience delays, please don’t worry, it will not affect your benefit claim.

How long will I have to wait before someone contacts me?

At busy times, it may take longer for Atos to process the questionnaire.  If you experience delays, please don’t worry, it will not affect your benefit claim.

See also:

The importance of additional medical information to the WCA process

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Posted in ESA/WCA by Atos Healthcare on the 27th June 2012 |

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Occupational health: the workforce of the future

Good employers already know it’s important to have a diverse workforce, and that the contribution a person can make isn’t related to their colour, creed, gender, disability, outlook or background.

Atos-Healthcare-support-for-employees-with-long-term-conditions2Former national director for health and work, Dame Carol Black, is now calling for people to add something to that list; health and wellbeing.

The co-author of last year’s government review of absence management and 2008’s Working for a Healthier Tomorrow report says that the stigma associated with long-term health conditions is still alive and well. Beating the stigma is vital if we’re going to help people with health problems stay in work.

Atos Healthcare - Disabled man in wheelchair with chart

Better support is clearly good for a person’s wellbeing and, as a result, their potential to be a happier, more productive and more valuable employee. More than that though, it’s good news for the business, which needs to think about diversity and inclusion within its workforce.

More and more, employers are going to need to address the challenges associated with an ageing and ailing workforce. A big part of this will be shifting people’s thinking – at all levels of the organisation – away from the outdated view that unless you’re 100 per cent fit, you don’t have anything to contribute. Chronic conditions are increasingly going to be something that people just manage as part of their working day.

So let’s drag the issue of health and wellbeing out of the occupational health “ghetto” that it can sometimes get stuck in, where it’s a problem for only the medical experts to deal with. Let’s get it into the mainstream so we can have an open debate about what the future workforce actually looks like.

 

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Posted in Occupational Health by Atos Healthcare on the 26th June 2012 |

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Workplace Stress: Myth or Reality?

Workplace stress is a real and growing concern. In fact, it’s believed to be one of the main factors stopping people from doing their best at work. Our stress-levels can be affected by a whole range of issues like heavy workloads, long hours, difficult working relationships with colleagues or managers, harassment or lack of opportunities. The good news is that with the right policies in place, employers can help minimise the impact and keep the wellbeing of the workforce on track.

What is stress?Atos-Healthcare-Misconceptions-about-stress

Stress is a pretty vague concept and one that’s hard to define. It covers a spectrum of different experiences and is often misunderstood. The myths and misconceptions that surround the condition make it difficult to understand and can make it harder to deal with it effectively. So what are the myths and realities of workplace stress?

 Why should we be worried about it?

Simply put, stress is bad for our health.

It’s been linked to a number of different health issues; most commonly physical problems like back pain, high blood pressure and heart disease. And of course it’s also a serious factor in mental ill-health, contributing to debilitating psychological problems like depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Is stress always a bad thing?

It’s a bit of a balancing act when it comes to stress. Arguably a bit of pressure at work can be good thing; it can often bring out the best in people. Too much strain, on the other hand, can become an issue if it reaches the tipping point where a person’s just no longer able to cope.

How can employers address the problem?

Ensure clear policies are in place – creating a good working atmosphere and supportive managers is the best way to minimise stress at work, so its important for employers to have policies in place on issues like bullying, harassment, attendance and performance management. Workplace stress is likely to be much higher if these policies don’t exist.Atos Healthcare - Workplace-Stress - Woman in Meeting

Talk about it – addressing the warning signs, like absence from work, and having a conversation about them is an excellent way to head problems off early.

Be proactive -  A lot of workplaces are now implementing Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs). EAPs are set up to offer employees a range of support services like short-term counselling, which can help them deal with problems that might impact their health and wellbeing at work. They aim to make sure work is part of the solution, not the problem.

 Common Causes of stress at work

1. Organisational change
2. Lack of control
3. Lack of training
4. Monotonous work
5. Bullying
6. Poor working environment
7. Violence
8. Job insecurity
9. Too much or too little to do
10. Long hours
11. Unrealistic deadlines
12. Lack of support
13. Lack of recognition and reward
14. Working patterns
15. Conflicting roles
16. Conflicting work and home demands
17. Poor promotion prospects
18. Poor communication
19. Information overload

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Posted in Occupational Health by Atos Healthcare on the 18th June 2012 |

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Workforce wellbeing: Is our commute making us all ill?

OK, you probably don’t need a scientist to tell you that the steam-out-of-your-ears commute you’ve just had to get in to work this morning was potentially bad for your health.  But its short lived so surely relatively harmless?  Well actually, no.

Sedentary behaviour is known to have adverse effects on cardiovascular and metabolic health.  But a recent study* has also found that greater commuting distances tend to be associated with decreased cardio-respiratory fitness, increased weight, and other signs of metabolic risk.  The researchers also made the point that, as swathes of us move even further away from urban centres, more of us will inevitably spend longer hours behind the wheel or packed onto buses and trains on the way to and from work.

So what’s the answer? How can we as society and as employers help safeguard our workforce from the risks?  Should we be allowing staff to work more flexibly, via remote working options or staggering commutes?  Is the answer more tax-friendly bike schemes, workplace gyms or other wellbeing benefits, to help us all let off steam and stay fit?Atos Healthcare - Workforce wellbeing: Is our commute making us all ill? - cars in a traffic jam

The truth is, there’s probably no one-size-fits-all response, as every organisation will have its own approach to attendance, time-keeping and flexible benefits.

The first step, particularly for those faced with managing stressed colleagues, is to acknowledge that stress and frustration doesn’t start the moment someone crosses the office reception threshold; there’s probably been at least half an hour’s build up which, day after day can have a cumulative, corrosive effect.

The second step is realising the potential of promoting wellbeing in the workplace.  Health promotion sometimes gets bad PR – it’s all fluffy, worthy stuff that in a tough business world a) doesn’t really make a difference, b) doesn’t stack up as being of value when you consider all the economic and financial stresses and strains people are under at home and work right now and c) is a “nice to have” we-can’t-afford-anyway accessory.

But whether it’s educational workshops or events, one-off gimmicks (workplace pedometers anyone?) or trying to effect something more gradual and permanently life-changing, such as encouraging stair use, cycling to work or getting off a stop early, if it’s going to make people feel better about getting to, and arriving at, work, and therefore more effective once there, then it’s worth considering, even when budgets are tight.

We all need optional or enforced daily disruptions in the workplace they can help us take the edge off the vicious health circle or sedentary travel, followed by sedentary desk time, followed by sedentary travel home, topped off with a quiet night on the sofa.

And it’s not just the physical health benefits we can all benefit from; the extra mental alertness and productivity that can come with a more energetic, energised approach to the working day,  can make the world of difference to how we feel about work.

For more information about workforce wellbeing, please follow the link here.

* Source: Commuting Distance, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Metabolic Risk,” as published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

 

 

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Posted in Occupational Health by Atos Healthcare on the 6th June 2012 |

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Absence at work: the elephant in the room

It’s what you might call the “bums on seats” debate.

Earlier this month, the Office for National Statistics calculated that a total of 131 million days were lost because of sickness absence in the UK during 2011. Sounds shocking, but it’s actually part of an ongoing downward trend since 2003 which suggests much of the focus and energy good employers are putting into managing sickness and absence in the workplace is paying dividends.

The usual suspects – short-term illness, musculo-skeletal problems and stress or mental ill-health – remain the same.  But the figures show that, while absence rates remained broadly constant during the 1990s (7.2 days on average lost per employee in 1993), much progress has been made in recent years, with this down to 4.5 days by last year.

The question is: are we cheering the wrong thing here?

The TUC’s Brendan Barber raised an interesting point; he argued that what the statistics really illustrate  is less about workers taking less time off sick, and more about “presenteeism” – dragging yourself in to do very little but shuffle papers about and infect everyone around you at the same time.  This, he said, is the more significant – and potentially more costly – problem facing workplaces, especially in the current uncertain economic climate.Atos Healthcare - Absence at work: the elephant in the room - Young woman who feeling sick at home.

Its poll of nearly 340 firms found the number reporting no sickness absence at all was at an all-time high.  More companies are setting themselves “stretch” sickness absence targets and more than half expressed concern about presenteeism, yet only 5% actually bothered to measure it or its potential economic cost.

So what’s the key message for employers to take away from this?

By all means focus on absence and sickness management and intervention – and selling its business benefit to the board has to remain a priority – but don’t assume that just because someone has clocked in it necessarily means mentally they’re in the building and firing on all cylinders.

In a way, perhaps it’s not so much “absence” as simple “performance” that needs to be measured, the line in the sand. Of course, this in turn opens up all sorts of other questions around health, wellbeing, motivation, even things such as sleep and nutrition. Management and corporate culture, and even personal and family life can all have a major influence on workplace performance, and it’s open to debate how far employers can, or should, venture down this path. But, if it’s the majority at work that are as much the issue as the minority off, then employers definitely have their work cut out.  Businesses  may need to rethink how they think about absence and wellbeing.

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Posted in Occupational Health by Atos Healthcare on the 6th June 2012 |

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