SP0176 It works?! employment support for people with rmds
Authors: G. Bendzuck
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2018)

<h3>Background</h3> In Germany, approximately 17 million people are suffering from RMDs (Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases). Due to the ageing society, increasing numbers are to be expected. As all people with disabilities and chronic diseases, patients suffering from RMDs have a significantly higher risk of unemployment or invalidity pension and they take slower profit of economic recovery in the job market. <h3>Objectives</h3> Give an overview on german efforts to get patients with RMDs back into work again or to sustain their ability to work <h3>Methods</h3> Main results of recent surveys will be presented. In the light of these Data, current changes of the german social and health legislation will be discussed, as well as connected pilot projects. <h3>Results</h3> The online survey "Rheuma eine Stimme geben" of Deutsche Rheuma-Liga was conducted between March and May 2017 including 930 participants. Work is identified as an important issue and identified as target for highly needed improvements. After medical care and pensions, work is considered the most important topic. Well known problems are reflected: during a rheumatoid flare, still more than 50 percent of patients are waiting more than seven days for an appointment with a rheumatologist. Two of three patients have had problems with the approval of medical rehabilitation. More than 80 percent would appreciate to be entitled to work from home. As benefits, participants name the prolongation of their working life, more flexibility of working hours in accordance with their illness as well as being better able to combine work and necessary therapies. With regard to negative consequences, three out of five patients fear that they (would have to) work also in case of illness. Another problem is stigmatisation: still, one out of five patients does not inform their colleagues and the management. Most important reasons are fears of job loss and fear of troubles in the job. Following the new …Bundesteilhabegesetz" (from 01/2018), several measures were introduced to improve access and participation of people with disabilities to work. One of these, the "Budget for work", will improve possibilities for people with disabilities working in sheltered workshops to access the job market. In the spirit of CRPD Article 27, this instrument should be accessible to all people with disabilities, who are capable to work at least some hours a day under normal work conditions. Furthermore, it will be outlined, how the new programme rehapro intends to evaluate new models, methods and measures to prevent an (impending) disability or reduction in earning capacity as early as possible. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Action Plan for People with Rheumatic Diseases (2017) In order to overcome these problems, the Deutsche Rheuma-Liga, representing 300.000 individual members and 11.000 volunteers, has issued an action plan. Key Claims connected to improvement of work conditions for people with RMDs are … Ensure good and early treatment and improved medical care for people with RMDs in order to maintain their ability to work. Promote better collaboration between health care providers and health services (e.g. introduction of DMPs) Implement more consequently the principle "rehabilitation instead of invalidity pension" as well as a patient–centred rehabilitation Promote knowledge on grants e.g. for work place adjustments or trainee programs Optimize job trainings with regard to the real needs of people with RMDs Enhance the use of the instrument "Betriebliches Eingliederungsmanagement", especially for small and medium enterprises Promote the use of flexible working time models or support workers Evaluate and implement new forms of working models for people with chronic diseases Create incentives for jobs, that may be combined with partial instead of full invalidity pension <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> None declared