From 6 April 2010, GPs will no longer provide employees with 'sick notes' where they are unable to attend work due to illness. From 6 April, the government's 'fit note' will be introduced which will allow the GP more scope for comment on the employee's capacity to return to work. Rather than ticking the box that the employee is not fit for work, they now have an opportunity to state that the employee 'may be fit for work' if some adjustments are made by the employer. The GP also has an opportunity to state the effect the employee's condition has on their health and what kind of adjustments would help the employee return to work. Boxes that the GP can tick include adjustments such as reduced working hours or amended duties. The GP's suggestions as to adjustments are not binding on the employer. If the employer cannot implement the adjustments suggested on the 'fit note', the employer will be able to treat the employee as if they had been declared ‘not fit for work’. Obviously, there is still the option for the GP to declare the employee 'not fit for work'.
The idea behind the government's 'fit note' scheme is that the new notes will make it easier for GP's to be proactive in the support that they give the employee. This should encourage the employee to return to work, something that the government says could have a positive effect on the employee's health. According to the Department for Work and Pensions, the 'fit notes' may benefit the economy by an estimated GBP 240 million over the next 10 years.
It remains to be seen how effective the new 'fit notes' will be in encouraging employees back to work. If GP's are willing and able to take the time to be proactive in their approach, this would put pressure on employees to try harder to return to work sooner and think about things their employer could do to facilitate their return. On the other hand, the proactive approach to adjustments could put pressure on employers, who should consider carefully the suggestions of the GP, especially if the employee is suspected to be disabled. Failure to make reasonable adjustments could result in a successful claim against the employer in the future. Hopefully, these notes, accompanied by a proactive approach to absence management and an effective sick pay scheme, should see employer's sickness absence rates drop significantly.