Occupational health care and work incapacity: recent developments in The Netherlands

Due to political priorities and benefit arrangements, prevention of work incapacity has played a minor role in employers' policies in the Netherlands. However, the comparatively high sickness absence rates and large numbers of disability benefit recipients in the Netherlands have fostered preventive policies and measures regarding unfavourable working conditions. Corresponding to recent changes in legislation, the role of occupational health and safety services will substantially increase in the coming years. Part of the new orientation will be a multi-disciplinary staff structure and more attention to tailor-made services and effectiveness. There is much debate about the precise role for occupational physicians in the control of sickness absenteeism in companies. This paper presents several instruments which are now being applied or which are still in a developmental stage. The issues of prevention of sickness absence and monitoring of long-term sick employees will remain a substantial part of the responsibilities of occupational health and safety services.