The People Bulletin

Further to our report in the previous issue of The People Bulletin about the introduction of ‘fit notes’ in the spring of 2010, the government has now put the draft regulations – The Social Security (Medical Evidence and Statutory Sick Pay (Medical Evidence) Amendment Regulations 2010 – out for a 12-week consultation period. This began on 28 May 2009 and ends on 19 August 2009.

The consultation document along with details of how to respond is downloadable from the DWP website . The regulations will, in their current draft form:

• change the format of the medical statement to allow doctors to record whether a patient is fit or not fit for work but also include a new option to allow a doctor to indicate where someone ‘may be fit for some work now’;
• Update the rules relating to completing statements;
• Make provision to rationalise the current set of medical statements, by removing of forms med
• 4 and 5 to simplify the process for GPs and employers and reflect recent changes to the welfare system arising form the introduction of Employment and Support Allowance (ES); and
• Permit GPs to issue statements printed by their practice’s computer systems as opposed to handwriting on a statement pad.

The difficulty for GPs remains one of patient confidentiality and it will be interesting to see what responses come in during the consultation period. One South Wales GP (who did not wish to be named) told The People Bulletin that she was ‘very concerned’ with the proposals in their current form and that assessing fitness for work was down to occupational health professionals.