Transfer of tasks in work disability assessments in European social security
| Author | Francois Latil,Annette E. de Wind,Nerys Williams,Sören Brage |
| DOI | 10.1177/1388262720910307 |
| Published date | 01 March 2020 |
| Date | 01 March 2020 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Transfer of tasks in work
disability assessments in
European social security
Annette E. de Wind, MD
KU Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium and Dutch Employee Insurance Agency (UWV), Rotterdam, the Netherlands
So
¨ren Brage, MD
National Labour and Welfare Agency, Drammen, Norway
Francois Latil, MD
Agence de Securit´
e Sociale Des Travailleurs Independants d’Ile de France, Saint Ouen, France
Nerys Williams, MB ChB
Independent Consultant Occupational Physician, Birmingham, UK
Abstract
European social security organisations experience shortages of insurance physicians and they
attempt to streamline procedures in the disability assessment services in order to save costs, while
safeguarding the quality of the assessments. Hence, they look at alternative ways for efficient and
cost-effective assessments by transferring insurance physician tasks to other (non)-healthcare
professionals. This study, carried out by European Union of Medicine in Assurance and Social
Security (EUMASS), aimed to describe and compare the use of task transfer (task shifting, dele-
gation and support) in European social security systems. The approach was threefold: (1) A survey
questionnaire was sent to all 20 EUMASS members, inquiring about the present and planned use of
task transfer in work disability assessments, and how it has been evaluated; (2) A literature study
was undertaken on task transfer; (3) Case studies were carried out in selected countries (Belgium,
France, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom) where different approaches to task
transfer have been used. Task transfer in disability assessments has been introduced in seven
countries, mostly in Western Europe. A mixture of task shifting, delegation, and support was often
used. Nurses were the main group to take over new tasks, but other (non)-healthcare profes-
sionals were also involved. Task transfer is implemented in different ways in line with the cultural
traditions and the specific organisations that comprise the political and financial framework of the
Corresponding author:
Dr. Annette E. de Wind, KU Leuven University, Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care,
Kapucijnenvoer 35/5, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
E-mail: annette.dewind@kuleuven.be
European Journal of Social Security
2020, Vol. 22(1) 24–38
ªThe Author(s) 2020
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DOI: 10.1177/1388262720910307
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