Occupational Health Nurse

Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) has been selected to take part in one of four national Fit Note Reform Pilots commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions, helping to test a new approach that aims to improve support for people whose health affects their ability to work. The pilot is designed to address a recognised challenge within the current system, where fit notes often focus on certifying sickness absence rather than providing practical support to help people remain in work or return to work safely., Undertake structured work and health assessments with patients referred into the pilot, face to face, by telephone or by video, according to patient need and clinical appropriateness.

Assess the interaction between a persons health condition, their functional ability and the demands of their role, taking account of all appropriate physical, psychological, social and workplace factors.

Formulate and co-produce personalised Workability Plans focused on functional capability, phased return, adjustments and the practical support required to sustain work.

Exercise autonomous professional judgement in determining whether a period away from work is clinically appropriate, and articulate that judgement clearly, proportionately and defensibly.

Provide specialist advice on reasonable adjustments, graduated return to work, workplace modification and phased hours, informed by an understanding of the Equality Act 2010 and relevant health and safety legislation.

Review and update Workability Plans at agreed intervals, adjusting recommendations as recovery, circumstances or employer response change.

Recognise the limits of the pilot service and of personal professional competence and escalate promptly and appropriately

MBPCC is delivering one of these pilots, taking fit note generation out of practices within the Barrow and Mid Furness PCN areas. Patients will be referred directly from general practice into a new service called Enable where they will be offered a personalised Workability Plan setting out what they can do, the adjustments that would help, and the support available to them to aid them return to work.

The Occupational Health Nurse is one of the senior clinical assessment resource within the Enable team. The post holder will undertake work and health assessments for patients referred into the pilot, form an occupational health judgement about functional capacity and fitness for work, and produce Workability Plans that are clinically defensible, practical for employers and genuinely useful to the patient.

This is a test-and-learn service. The post holder is expected not only to deliver assessments, but to help shape the clinical model itself, Morecambe Bay Primary Care Collaborative is the largest employer of Primary Care colleagues in South Cumbria, we are a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, and work to support, guide and underpin primary medical care across Lancashire and South Cumbria.