Dame Black outlines well note plans

Employees suffering from a long-term illness will soon be encouraged to go back to work by a new Government initiative, Dame Carol Black has stated.

According to a report produced by Dame Black, the National Director for Health and Work, long-term sickness and disability costs the UK economy £100bn.

The biggest reason for this expense is lost productivity, she said.

Dame Black commented that well notes will be introduced to tackle the UK's sick-note culture and will focus on what an employee can do rather than the tasks they cannot complete.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson previously suggested the well-note scheme, which was welcomed by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

The CIPD stated that those suffering from mental-health problems would be likely to benefit from the idea.

'Work has a huge part to play in the early treatment and rehabilitation of people experiencing mental ill health,' Mike Emmott of the CIPD said.