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
  • OHW Awards
  • 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
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

ResearchMental health conditionsFit notesSickness absence managementOccupational Health

Mental health conditions are most common diagnosis on GP fit notes

by Nic Paton 5 Oct 2017
by Nic Paton 5 Oct 2017

Mental health and behavioural conditions accounted for nearly a third (31%) of all fit notes written by GPs in England between December 2014 and March this year, figures from NHS Digital have revealed.

The statistics indicate the scale of people presenting with mental ill-health, stress or anxiety at GP surgeries, with mental health and behavioural conditions the single most common reason for issuing a fit note.

Anonymised information was collected covering GP practices responsible for around two-thirds of working-age patients registered with a GP in England.

From this data, it was concluded that almost 1.8 million fit notes were issued where the diagnosis was known to be mental health and behavioural conditions.

Of episodes for mental health and behavioural conditions, around one in five were issued for a period of absence of more than 12 weeks.

There were around 1.1 million fit notes known to relate to musculoskeletal diseases and connective tissue, which was the second most common known reason for which a fit note was issued.

The number of fit notes known to have been written for anxiety and stress-related conditions from practices covered by the study increased by around 14% (from 503,000 to 573,000) between 2015-16 and 2016-17.

January this year saw the highest number of fit notes being written, with 556,000 issued during that month.

Of those clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) where at least two GP practices returned information, NHS Knowsley CCG recorded the highest number of fit notes written in March 2017, with 4,123 fit notes issued per 100,000 working age registered patients.

By comparison, NHS Richmond CCG recorded the fewest for the same period, with 977 fit notes issued per 100,000 people.

Overall at national level, the number of fit notes written in March 2017 was 2,334 per 100,000 working age registered patient.

Women continually accounted for more than half of the total number of fit notes issued in the reporting period, from a low of 53.8% in August 2015 to a high of 57.8% in January 2017, NHS Digital added.

Responding to figures, Dr Steve Mowle, honorary treasurer for the Royal College of GPs, said: “We need a society-wide approach, including involvement from employers, to put measures in place to get people back into work, where possible, safely and appropriately.”

Dr Jed Boardman, lead for social inclusion at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, added: “These statistics are alarming. Mental health conditions are now a far more common reason for being signed off work; traditionally the leading cause was back pain.

“GPs and employers must do more to facilitate a person’s return to work. GPs will write suggestions on the fit note, such as staggered work days or agreeing specific goals for the returning employer – both parties need to be more active in tailoring these suggestions to that person.”

Nic Paton
Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consulting editor of OHW+. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for OHW+ and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

previous post
Stress in the workplace tops reasons for EAP use
next post
Ryanair and Monarch flight disruptions: five issues for employers

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

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

You may also like

Record prostate cancer screenings post-pandemic

24 May 2022

Interim advice published on Covid autumn boosters

23 May 2022

Signs of severe eating disorders often missed, warns...

23 May 2022

GPs call for new OH service to relieve...

23 May 2022

Occupational health key to helping employers manage long...

23 May 2022

Three in 10 say physical health has worsened...

20 May 2022

Obesity prevalence projections show 36% will be obese...

20 May 2022

Nurses leaving due to pressure and workplace culture

18 May 2022

NHS pressures leaving thousands waiting for cancer diagnosis

17 May 2022

Long NHS waits meaning many with long Covid...

17 May 2022

  • The importance of being an ethical leader and how to become one PROMOTED | What is ethical leadership?...Read more
  • RPO Report: 2022, The Year to Outsource PROMOTED | Employers should be overwhelmed with choice...Read more
  • Report: Enabling organisational agility through talent & people success PROMOTED | Work has been challenged...Read more
  • Employee Trends 2022 report PROMOTED | Edenred research on employees analysed the key employees’ trends for 2022...Read more
  • How finance apprenticeships can boost business PROMOTED | As the world’s most forward-thinking professional accountancy body...Read more
  • Paul Devoy: Showing appreciation to the Investors in People community PROMOTED | Ask most people what comes to mind when you mention Investors in People...Read more
  • White paper: How digitalisation can support evolving occupational health PROMOTED | Download this free white paper to discover how digitalisation can help occupational health meet emerging challenges...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 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 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
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today