Doctors have branded fit notes a success in helping people return to work but believe it has not improved advice to patients and that more local services are needed to support returning to work.
They also highlighted pressure to give sick notes for non-medical reasons and that it was not felt necessary for a full recovery before returning to work. The research for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) investigating GPs attitudes to the new measure found that 70% agreed that the fit note had helped their patients make a phased return to work. However, 80% of doctors feel their patients do not have access to local services to provide advice or support for a return to work. Only one in five (20%) thought there were good services locally to which they could refer patients ...
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