70 per cent of GPs agree that ‘fit note’ has helped patients make phased return to work

New DWP research summary

14 April, 2011

70 per cent of GPs agree that the 'fit note' has helped patients make a phased return to work, according to the DWP.

In a new report, the DWP sets out a summary of research into GPs attitudes towards patients' health and work, following the introduction of the 'fit note' from April 2011.

Findings of the research set out in the summary include -

• 70 per cent of GPs agreed that the fit note had helped their patients make a phased return to work;
• 48 per cent agreed that it had increased the frequency with which they recommended a return to work as an aid to patient recover;
• 62 per cent felt the fit note had made a change to their practice;
• 96 per cent of GPs agreed that worklessness is generally detrimental to people’s health; and
• 77 per cent of GPs agreed that staying in or returning to work was an important indicator of success in the clinical management of people of working age.

However, the summary also shows that only 20 per cent of GPs agreed that there were good services locally to which they could refer patients for advice about a return to work and less than a quarter (23 per cent) agreed that their knowledge of the benefits system was up-to-date.

NB - the DWP advises that a longer report describing all the findings from the research and presenting more detailed analysis will be published in summer 2011.

DWP research summary 733, General Practitioners’ attitudes towards patients’ health and work, is available from the DWP website.

See also the related rightsnet news stories –

• Replacing sick notes with ‘fit notes’ from Spring 2010 in Northern Ireland: New Statutory Rule (04 March, 2010)
• Replacing sick notes with ‘fit notes’ from Spring 2010: DWP publishes new guidance for GPs (19 February, 2010)
• Replacing sick notes with ‘fit notes’ from Spring 2010: New statutory instrument (29 January, 2010)
• ‘Fit notes’ to replace sick notes from Spring 2010: Government launches consultation on draft regulations (28 May, 2009)
• Replacing paper-based ‘sick notes’ with electronic ‘fit notes’: Government announces proposals to help people stay in work rather than claim benefit (24 November, 2008)