Difficult Decisions Assessing Fitness for Work course for GPs

This session looks at the potential impact that a health condition can have on a patient who is in work, on the patient's colleagues and on the public. It also examines ways in which these risks can be managed by GPs and employers.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Identify the potential impact of common health problems on work performance
• Describe the impact of different treatments on an individual's fitness to work
• Describe the impact of health problems and treatment on the safety of the individual, colleagues and members of the public
• Manage potential conflict when dealing with issues of fitness for work

In many cases, patients with common health problems (mild/moderate musculoskeletal, mental health and cardio-respiratory conditions) recover relatively quickly and can continue to work. Therefore, many such patients do not seek help from their GP.