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The DWP's Fit for Work Service: Who benefits?
Abstract
The Department for Work and Pensions' Fit for Work Service (FFWS) programme is being rolled out across the country from November 2014. It is designed to intervene when a person has been off work, or is expected to be off work, for four weeks or more due to illness. GPs will be expected to refer patients to FFWS, which will then perform an assessment and draw up a plan to get them back to work as quickly as possible. If such a scheme was motivated by a genuine concern for a person’s wellbeing, implemented in an understanding and supportive manner, it could be beneficial. But the way it is being established, its underlying assumptions, contracting and economic model raises cause for concern. Ekklesia associate Bernadette Meaden offers an initial assessment and identifies key issues that need addressing.