From 1st September 2026, NHS Lanarkshire will be launching their Reasonable Adjustment Passport (RAP). It’s aim is Supporting staff with a health condition, disability or long term illness back to work after being off on long term sickness, which is a priority for NHS Lanarkshire as a responsible employer.
Our Occupational Health, Safety and Return to Work service, is rolling out RAP. RAP is a living record of supported workplace changes for an employee with a health condition, disability, or long-term illness.
Reasonable adjustments are changes an employer makes to remove or reduce a disadvantage related to someone’s disability. For example:
- finding an alternative way to do something
- making changes to the workplace environment
- changing someone’s working arrangements
- providing equipment, services or support
Existing data suggests around 25% of staff absent for over 1 month could return with an adjustment in place. Reasonable adjustments are specific to an individual person. They can be for physical or mental health conditions, can cover any area of work and are used when adjustments are required for three months or longer. The adjustments are not always permanent and the employee and manager will review them on a regular basis and make amendments when required.
It’s not enough for employers to support staff with a health condition, disability or long term illness back to work after being off on long term sickness, responsible employers must endeavour to make reasonable adjustments, where possible to break down the barriers preventing staff from being able to work where they can.
Owned by the employee the RAP sets out specific changes that can support the individual back to work. It could be as simple as allowing the employee flexible hours to physical changes needed for the employee to do their job.
SALUS will recommend the necessary changes and the employee will discuss their needs with their manager on the barriers they face returning to work and what would help.
Once both the employee and their manager agree what changes can be put in place this is confirmed in writing back to our occupational health team with a copy being held by both the employee and their line manager. It is important to note that on occasion, an adaptation may be unable to be agreed. This may be due to the service being unable to make or sustain the suggested change.
Occupational Health will retain a record of any agreed adjustment in line with policy and ensure confidentiality.
