Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Fit for WorkMental health conditionsFit notesMental healthOccupational Health

GPs see 13.5% increase in fit notes for mental health issues

by Ashleigh Webber 23 Feb 2018
by Ashleigh Webber 23 Feb 2018

Thousands more fit notes were issued by GPs in England in the second quarter of last year, including a 13.5% increase in diagnoses for mental health issues.

Some 1.4 million fit notes were issued by GPs between July and September 2017 – 74,704 more than those issued in the same quarter the previous year – according to NHS Digital figures.

NHS Digital said this roughly equated to one fit note per 48 patients aged 18-65 every month.

Fit notes

How to use fit notes effectively

Is an employer obliged to comply with the advice on a fit note?

The number of diagnoses for mental and behavioural disorders increased 13.5% during this period, compared to the same quarter in 2016/17.

The number of fit notes issued for mental health conditions have been on the up for a number of years. They accounted for a third of all fit notes written by GPs in England between December 2014 and March 2017.

Fit notes – also known as the statement of fitness for work or Med3 – were introduced in 2010 with the aim of allowing doctors to give advice to their patients about the impact their health condition might have on their fitness to work.

The note is issued after the first seven days of sickness absence if a GP considers that a patient’s health will be affected by their job. It also provide GPs with a means of suggesting adjustments to a patient’s role or work environment.

A survey carried out by GPs’ publication Pulse found that 21% of GPs said employers did not follow the advice given on their fit notes.

Dr Richard Vautrey, chair of the British Medical Association’s GPs committee, said: “This is yet another indicator showing the workload pressures GPs are facing as they strive to respond to demand from their patients, and in particular the growing number of people living with stress, anxiety and depression.

“Despite this, mental health funding has lagged behind, exacerbating the problem.”

NHS Digital said 6.6% of the fit notes issued in the second quarter of 2017/18 were classified as “may be fit for work”, compared to 6.5% in the same period the previous year.

Some 35.2% of fit notes covered a period of five weeks or longer, compared to 34.4% in the second quarter of 2016/17.

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor of OHW+ and HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport magazines, touching on some of the employment and wellbeing issues experienced by those in road haulage.

previous post
Aldi reveals 4.8% gender pay gap
next post
Charity scandal: can employers inform others about misconduct?

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Robotics can transform health and safety as well...

2 Jun 2023

First oral treatment for migraine symptoms gets NHS...

2 Jun 2023

TUC calls for Covid inquiry to probe pandemic...

2 Jun 2023

CPD: OH and HR working together to support...

1 Jun 2023

National School of Occupational Health reveals five-year strategy

31 May 2023

Four action areas for supporting employees with terminal...

31 May 2023

Study links long Covid risk to social deprivation

26 May 2023

New occupational health technician qualification launched

26 May 2023

Warnings of dentistry crisis amid rising costs and...

26 May 2023

Third of outdoor workers never use sun protection

26 May 2023

  • The HR Bundle: Your one-stop guide to building a successful global HR Department PROMOTED | Get your hands on Deel’s free HR bundle...Read more
  • The Benefits of an Employee Assistance Programme PROMOTED | EAPs support employees in a range of ways...Read more
  • Intergenerational working and how to manage up and down the generations PROMOTED | The benefits and challenges of intergenerational workplaces...Read more
  • Bereavement in the workplace: How training can help HR get it right PROMOTED | HR professionals play an essential role...Read more
  • UK workforce mental wellbeing needs PROMOTED | The mental wellbeing support employers are providing misses the mark...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 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today