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GPs don’t believe fit notes are beneficial

By Gareth Iacobucci

GPs are unconvinced of the benefits of issuing patients with fit notes, with a new survey finding that 68% do not believe they will cut absence levels, and almost two-thirds feel ill-equipped to provide them.

The findings are contained in the latest Health of the Workplace Report from Aviva UK, which found that enthusiasm for the scheme has actually diminished since its introduction in April.

Of 200 GPs surveyed, 68% said they did not believe fit notes would be effective in cutting absence levels, compared to 54% last year prior to their introduction.

More than half of GPs (65%) said they did not feel equipped to provide fit notes to the UK workforce, an increase of just 1% from last year's survey despite the initiative now being live.

The scheme was introduced in April 2010 in a bid to move away from the ‘sick-note culture' to one that encourages GPs to help more patients back to work.

GPs don't believe fit notes are beneficial