GPs have been a thorn in the side of HR managers for years with their willingness to dole out sick notes signing people off sick for months with vague conditions, but that could be changing. The problem is that GPs see themselves as the patient's advocate and believe that going back to work will put staff at risk. Early findings from a survey of GPs by the Department for Work and Pensions show that at last GPs are getting the message that generally work is better for people and that an early return to work can stop people going on incapacity benefit, sometimes permanently.
At a conference earlier this week for occupational health doctors , Dr Bill Gunnyeon, Director, Health, Work and Wellbeing and Chief Medical Adviser, Department for Work and Pensions, revealed some early findings of a report on GP attitudes to health and work that show GP attitudes have improved since the same report was done a year earlier.
The report, based on a survey in May 2008 shows that 54% of GPs are aware of the evidence that good work is good for health compared to only 36% the previous year. A third of them say they have changed their practice since becoming aware of this evidence and 51% say they feel able to provide better advice. If this carries on the nightmare of the sick note could become a thing of the past.
