GP co-lead Dr Steve Taylor highlighted the work of DAUK on fit notes during an interview on national radio.
Dr Taylor was discussing a survey by BBC that found that hundreds of GPs have never refused to sign a patient off work for mental health issues.
Some respondents told the BBC they were frustrated with the current system, saying providing fit notes should not be part a GP’s role.
Fit notes
The Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) GP co-leads Dr Taylor and Dr Sarah Jacques last year took part in discussions with the Department for Work and Pensions about the future of fit notes.
Ahead of the meeting, DAUK surveyed GPs to ensure their views were represented.
The survey found:
- 69% of GPs said fit notes should not remain part of their remit
- 85% felt a new service should take responsibility for issuing fit notes
- 46% supported a return to four weeks self-certification
- 51% did not favour self-certification by patients
- 94% reported that refusing a fit note negatively affects the doctor/patient relationship
Dr Taylor, speaking to Tom Swarbrick on LBC, said: “The majority of respondents said they didn’t think GPs were the best people to issue fit notes.
Work health
“I wasn’t expecting that many, but the majority did agree with the survey the BBC have done that actually it’s hard for GPs to assess health in work.”
He added: “GPs usually only hear one side of the story.
“The person in front of us says they are struggling to work, but we don’t know the workplace situation or the employer’s perspective.
Self-certify
“What worked well was during the pandemic when people could self-certify for a month.
“And so the conversations were occurring between the employee and the employer.”
Listen to Dr Taylor’s LBC interview on the DAUK Instagram.
We are a non-profit campaigning and lobbying organisation led by frontline doctors, for frontline doctors. We are volunteers and our collective aim is to give frontline workers a voice to be heard.
Please support our work by contributing to our crowd funder.