Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Latest NewsHR practiceSickness absenceWellbeing

Fears over lack of fit note training for GPs

by Personnel Today 15 Oct 2009
by Personnel Today 15 Oct 2009

The government has moved to calm fears that GPs will lack training in the new fit note scheme when it is rolled out next April.

A survey by the Londonwide Local Medical Committees of more than 450 doctors found that 96% had received no training at all regarding the new fit note.

Under the new system, GPs will replace the hand-written Med3 sicknote with a computer-generated fit note, explaining what work a patient is able to do.

But one doctor warned: “Without proper training and time for GPs to take over this task, it is more likely many GPs may just fill in the fit notes according to pressure from patients, and thus may not be an accurate assessment of what kind of work a patient is capable of.”

Department of Work and Pensions minister Lord Bill McKenzie said: “We are working with GP representatives to ensure the fit note, which we expect to reduce workloads in the future, reflects the needs of GPs. We are rolling out an education programme for GPs on health and work and we will ensure full guidance is available before the introduction of the fit note.”

Sayeed Khan, chief medical officer at manufacturers’ organisation the EEF, and member of the Fit Note Stakeholder Group, said guidance would be published imminently.

“No-one has had training yet,” he said. “The DWP is well into developing training and guidance for employers, GPs and employees. Within the next few weeks, select groups of employers will have a look at what they are producing to give a critical assessment in terms of making sure the guidance is fit for purpose.”

Doctors leaders have warned that guidance is vital if the fit note is to be adopted successfully by GPs. There has been strong pockets of resistance to the reform from the British Medical Association (BMA).

Dr John Canning, a member of the BMA’s GP Committee, said it was important for employers to be supportive as well. “Someone contacted me last week who wanted to go back to work. But her employer wouldn’t let her until she’s been seen by her OH department,” he said.

Fit for Work pilots

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The government’s Fit for Work pilots are being kicked off in Rhyl, Scotland, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Birmingham, North Staffordshire, east & coastal Kent, Kensington & Chelsea, Dundee and Wakefield.

The pilots aim to give people who become ill the help they need to manage their condition and stay in work, and bring together support such as healthcare, employment, skills, housing and debt advice. Funding of £13m has been allocated for the service.

Personnel Today

Personnel Today articles are written by an expert team of award-winning journalists who have been covering HR and L&D for many years. Some of our content is attributed to "Personnel Today" for a number of reasons, including: when numerous authors are associated with writing or editing a piece; or when the author is unknown (particularly for older articles).

previous post
Retired senior NHS worker wins hundreds of thousands in stress case
next post
Failing education system forces UK firms to look abroad for staff

You may also like

Disability discrimination cases jump 41% in a year

30 Jul 2025

Quarter of young people consider emigrating from UK

30 Jul 2025

Federal employees urged to express religious beliefs at...

30 Jul 2025

Most workers support disability and ethnicity pay gap...

30 Jul 2025

Number of businesses in ‘critical’ distress rises by...

29 Jul 2025

Aldi pay rises to £13 minimum

29 Jul 2025

Third of resident doctors have no specialty training...

29 Jul 2025

Personnel Today Awards 2025: Shortlist revealed

28 Jul 2025

June sees strongest UK vacancy growth since summer...

28 Jul 2025

TUC says Employment Rights Bill must be delivered...

28 Jul 2025

  • How to employ a global workforce from the UK (webinar) WEBINAR | With an unpredictable...Read more
  • Empower and engage for the future: A revolution in talent development (webinar) WEBINAR | As organisations strive...Read more
  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+