The ‘fit note’ was introduced in 2010. It can be issued following a health and work assessment by the healthcare professional, responsible for someone’s who may be responsible for your health care plan.
The fit note provides advice to you and any employer about the impact of your health condition, where that may have an effect on your fitness for work. It can also enable someone to access Statutory Sick Pay or evidence eligibility for other health-related benefits.
The DWP evidence call follows Prime Minister’s Rishi Sunak’s vow last week to end what he called a “sick note culture”.
This call for evidence, says the DWP, “is part of a wider suite of activity to reform the fit note and will act as a prelude to a full consultation on specific policy proposals which will be launched later this year.”
The DWP maintains that:
- there is currently not enough capacity or specific work and health expertise in primary care to make an effective assessment of a patient’s ability to undertake work
- there is no established route to refer people to more tailored or intensive support if it is needed.
The ambition instead “is to co-develop a new process that brings healthcare and employment systems together to support people who are at risk of falling out of work, or who have already fallen out of work, due to ill health.”
It then sets out “the core new process” being tested:
- a triage service that supports people seeking a fit note into a pathway that best suits their individual health and employment needs
- an assessment of someone’s ability to do their job, and a work and health conversation with a healthcare professional or with a work and health adviser.
- Healthcare professionals and work and health advisers will have work and health training and dedicated time, making them better placed to take into consideration a wider set of factors that affect someone’s ability to work
- the ability to refer people to more intensive work and health support and assist employers in accessing expert work and health support through Occupational Health services, where appropriate
The DWP document then outlines that: “Your healthcare professional will assess your fitness for work by considering how your health condition affects what you can do at work (for example your stamina and concentration).
“They will decide whether you are fit for work, ‘may be fit for work’ or are ‘not fit for work.”
Individuals will then be provided with advice and guidance on how they might be able to start, stay in, or return to, work with the support of their employer.
Dr Sarah Hughes, Chief Executive of Mind said: “We are deeply disappointed that the prime minister’s speech continues a trend in recent rhetoric which conjures up the image of a ‘mental health culture’ that has ‘gone too far’.
“This is harmful, inaccurate and contrary to the reality for people up and down the country. The truth is that mental health services are at breaking point following years of underinvestment, with many people getting increasingly unwell while they wait to receive support.”
She added: “To imply that it is easy both to be signed off work and then to access benefits is deeply damaging. It is insulting to the 1.9 million people on a waiting list to get mental health support, and to the GPs whose expert judgment is being called into question.”
Ken Butler DR UK’s Welfare Rights and Policy Officer said: “In announcing fit note reform, the PM was 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 the benefit cap, the bedroom tax and sanctions are a major cause in the increase in ill health.
“In addition, long NHS waiting lists for healthcare – there are now nearly two million people waiting for to get 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 - from the people who know their patients, their illness, and their treatments - and hand the task to undefined “work and health professionals and work and health advisers” who won’t.”
The DWP Fit Note Reform: call for evidence document is available from gov.uk.
The deadline for responding to the consultation is 8 July 2024.