Electronic fit notes to replace sick notes

An electronic ‘fit note’ is to replace paper sick notes from 2010 in a bid to get more people back to work and cut the estimated £100 billion annual cost of sick leave.

Health secretary Alan Johnson announced this week that GPs will stop issuing paper-based sick notes and start providing electronic fit notes following the first ever review of the health of Britain’s working age population.

In March, Dame Carol Black, national director for health and work, conducted a review that recommended that electronic fit notes should be introduced to switch the focus to what people can do and improve communications between employers, employees and GPs.

This week’s government response to the review says that fit notes will help employers and individuals have better aceess to timely information about when and how to return to work.

The revised certificate has been tested on more than 500 GPs and the government says it intends to formally consult on the regulations requiring a change to the certificate early in 2009, before introducing a revised medical certificate later that year.

The government said it wants to switch from a paper-based system to an electronic one to make it less onerous for GPs and easier for practices to audit their clinical practice on medical certification.

It said an electronic certificate would be rolled out across Great Britain, following testing of electronic certification in Wales that is now underway. The Departemnt of Health is exploring whether the new ‘fit note’ and electronic format can be introduced simultaneously.

Other measures anounced in the DH report – Improving Health and Work: changing lives – include pilots for ‘Fit for Work’ services to support people returning to work, more training for GPs and nurses on health, work and well-being and the estbalishment of a National Centre for Working Age Health and Well Being.

Alan Johnson said the package of initiatives was designed to help more people stay in work rather than drifting into extended sick leave.

He added: “Helping people stay in work doesn’t just have an economic imperative. It has a moral and social one too. Poor health can prevent people fulfilling their potential, leaving them more likely to slip into poverty and social exclusion.”

Dame Carol Black said she was glad that the government had taken on board her recommendations.

She added: “I am especially pleased the fit note and Fit for Work pilots will be implemented along with support for small businesses.”

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Electronic ‘fit notes’ could replace sick notes