Although the consultation has now closed, the DWP Fit Note Reform: call for evidence document is still available from the gov.uk website.
The evidence call followed the then Prime Minister’s Rishi Sunak’s vow to end what he called a “sick note culture”.
Instead of fit notes only being issued by health care professionals who know and are treating the patient concerned, the DWP proposed assessments of someone’s ability to do their job, with a healthcare professional or work and health adviser unknown to them.
Reacting to the consultation announcement, DR UK said “In announcing fit note reform, the PM is again demonising Disabled people and those with long term health conditions.
“It is disingenuous to call out so called “sicknote culture”.
“Statutory sick pay in the UK is low by international standards, and UK workers take fewer sick days than those in France, Germany or the US.
“Rising poverty caused by inadequate benefit levels, the two child benefit cap, the bedroom tax and sanctions are a major cause in the increase in ill health across the UK.
“In addition to this, long NHS waiting lists for healthcare are another factor – there are now nearly two million people waiting for mental health support and approaching 8 million for elective treatment.
While decrying that too many people are “signed off sick”, the Government intends to take the fit note duty away from doctors, the people who know their patients, their illness, and their treatments, and instead hand the task over to undefined “work and health professionals and work and health advisers” who won’t.”
It is not known yet if the new Labour Government will scrap the fit note reform proposals.
So, it remains a concern that it could seek to introduce them as part of its unspecified work capability assessment reforms.
DR UK has now formally responded to the fit note reform consultation and our response can be downloaded at the bottom of this webpage.