The Government have announced several pilot schemes aimed at overhauling the UK’s fit note system. According to the Government, 11 million fit notes are issued each year, with 90% determining the person is not fit for work.
Criticism of the current system is that it is a tick box exercise that fails to provide support or guidance. The aim of the four pilot schemes, which will take place in different areas across England, will am to address these criticisms. Instead, the scheme will create personalised stay in work and return to work plans.
Over the year in which the scheme will run, up to 100,000 appointments are expected to take place and throughout this time, there will also be regular testing for the purpose of narrowing down the most effective approach to reducing the number of fit notes issued.
Under the scheme, an individual will be offered either an initial fit note and then be referred to community health workers. Or they will go through the entire process without having that initial GP fit note and be supported by both clinical and non-clinical practitioners of a separate service.
This announcement coincides with the Government publishing results from the ‘Fit Note Call for Evidence’, which had run between April and July 2024. In these which shows just three in 10 Healthcare Professionals in Primary Care say fit notes are a good use of GPs time, while six in 10 employers think the current process is ineffective at supporting their employees’ work and health needs.
