Doctors to get help with signing rising number off sick in Bassetlaw

GPs working in the NHS Bassetlaw CCG issued a total of 1,435 notes between July 2017 and June this year.

But the rules are to be changed to allow other health workers to sign people off sick, reducing the workload faced by doctors.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says that it will legislate to allow other health professionals to certify people as unable to work.

The move has been welcomed by doctors’ leaders, who say it will ease the pressure on GPs.

People in work need a fit note, previously called a sick note, if they are off work for more than seven days.

Up to that point they can self-certify that they are unwell.

Across England, 5.7 million fit notes were handed out over the 12 months to the end of June.

A DWP spokesman said: “We want to reduce the burden on GPs and that’s why we intend to legislate for the extension of fit note certification to other healthcare professionals.

“We will work with the NHS on this.”

The most common reasons that doctors signed people off work were mental and behavioural disorders, particularly stress, and muscoskeletal conditions, such as back problems.

Of the 1,435 notes signed over the 12 months in Bassetlaw, 103 were issued for mental health issues and 69 for back problems.

The number of fit notes signed in Bassetlaw from July 2017 to June this year is up on the previous 12 months despite under-reporting in February caused by technical issues in gathering the data.

Despite being called fit notes, almost all of those issued classify people as unfit for work.

This was the case for 94 per cent of the notes handed out across the country.

However, fit notes are also used to advise patients and their employers on getting back to work.

This includes recommendations for an employee to make a phased return, or work reduced hours or with limited duties.

Women were signed off sick more than men, receiving 57 per cent of the fit notes issued across England in the last 12 months.