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Information and resources

Rehabilitation

This section outlines the elements of best practice in rehabilitation and guidance for managing sickness absence.

Background

Wherever possible, when an employee has a skin disorder, they should be encouraged to stay at work rather than take time off. However, it’s important that the employee has no further contact with the substance that’s causing the problem. The employer may have to give the employee other tasks, at least on a temporary basis, until changes in working practices or new controls are introduced. There may be cases where the employee’s skin is so badly affected that they have to take time off work for their skin to recover. As a last resort, the employer and/or employee may have to consider if the employee needs to change their job. If a period of absence is needed, it’s important for the employer to work with the employee to manage their return to work. You can get an overview of key considerations in the rehabilitation process in Work and health: changing how we think about common health problems. Also, see the TUC’s approach to rehabilitation.

HSE guidance

The HSE has a return-to-work factsheet for health and safety representatives, and one specifically for managers.

The HSE also has tools and documents to help with absence management and rehabilitation. These include:

a factsheet on sickness absence and return to work
Return-to-work steps
Managing sickness absence
Managing sickness absence and return to work
Small business sickness absence advice
Managing sickness absence flowchart
Tax rules when purchasing occupational health support

More guidance

An absence management tool - designed by the CIPD, ACAS and HSE
The Return To Work Knowledge Base - a resource designed to assist people to overcome injury and get back to work
Managing attendance and employee turnover - advice from ACAS
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development factsheet on sickness absence
Rehabilitation and you - a guide to rehabilitation services in Scotland

A Peninsula Medical School report Avoiding long-term incapacity for work: Developing an early intervention in primary care considers the evidence base for early intervention in sickness absence.

Concepts of rehabilitation for the management of common health problems is a paper commissioned by the Department of Work and Pensions, that attempts to develop an intellectual framework for policymaking, research and development.

Professional bodies – contact details

British Association of Dermatologists

British Contact Dermatitis Society

British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology

British Society for Investigative Dermatology

Case Management Society UK

Commercial Occupational Health Providers Association

Faculty of Occupational Medicine

Institute of Occupational Medicine

Society of Occupational Medicine

Financial help and advice

Under certain circumstances, employees with skin conditions can qualify for government funding to pay for adjustments to the work premises or equipment so that they can keep working.

Directgov explains…

‘If you feel that the type of work you do is affected by a disability or health condition that is likely to last for 12 months or more, ask the Disability Employment Adviser (DEA) at your local Jobcentre Plus office about Access to Work. They can put you in touch with your closest Access to Work Business Centre to check whether you’re eligible for help.’ Jobcentre Plus has more…

HM Revenue and Customs has a range of advice, including a calculator for statutory sick pay.

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