Four new GP appointment rules are being introduced in England from later this year, as part of a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Labour Party government bid to overhaul the fit note system. NHS GPs are set to benefit from a shake-up to sick notes, with four rules being piloted across different parts of England.
Pilot Details
The pilots will cover up to 100,000 appointments and last up to a year, with continuous testing, the government has said. From July, the NHS will test new approaches through four existing WorkWell sites, backed by £3 million in the first year. The areas will test the following models:
- Birmingham and Solihull - GPs issue the first fit note where needed, with all patients referred to a new support service led primarily by non-clinical staff, including social prescribers and work and health coaches.
- Coventry and Warwickshire - GPs issue the first fit note, with patients able to be referred to a support service made up of both clinical and non-clinical staff.
- Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly - GPs refer patients directly to a non-clinical support service, without issuing a fit note.
- Lancashire and South Cumbria - GPs refer patients to a support service made up of both clinical and non-clinical staff, without issuing a fit note.
Expert Reactions
Nottingham GP Dr Sanjoy Kumar said: "I am really pleased the government is looking seriously at new approaches to fit notes, a change which is urgently needed. As a GP for over 25 years, I know how much of our clinical time is taken up with issuing these, which for many patients is not the right approach."
Dr Steve Taylor, GP Co-Lead of the Doctors Association UK, said: "The Doctors Association UK has been involved in discussions over the past few months with the Department of Work and Pensions around Fit Note reform. These discussions were broad and included many groups: GPs, employers, patients and occupational health. We agree that the current system of fit-notes isn't working well for patients, GPs and employers. It often lacks the nuance to deal with specific work situations and reasons that people have for not being able to work their full or part of their role.
"We hope these pilots will give the opportunity to explore a different way for people to engage with periods of ill health and ways to make work more accessible and achievable. This recognises that GPs aren't always best equipped to understand the options for work and we hope that active engagement between patients, GPs, employers and this new service will provide a better experience for everyone."
He added: "It is important that no one is forced to work who cannot, but it is also important that those who can, should be encouraged and given options to work. This could be a great improvement and we look forward to seeing the outcomes from these four pilots."
