The Aviva UK Health of the Workplace report: Issue 4

Fit Notes were introduced in April 2010 to replace traditional Sick Notes. Their purpose was to reduce absence in the workplace by removing the barriers preventing an employee's return to work. This was a significant goal, bearing in mind the impact of long-term sickness on the economy (nearly £17 billion per year, according to the CIPD/Pfizer Absence and Workplace Health Survey 2010).

A Fit Note, or Statement of Fitness for Work, provides for two outcomes: a patient could be declared 'unfit for work', or 'may be fit for work'. GPs can then advise employers on ways in which employees could be helped - by a reduction in hours for example, changes to duties, or an adaptation to the working environment. In theory, assisted rehabilitation could also reduce the pressures on GPs, 48% of whom admitted they'd been asked to falsify a sick note. But a startling 65% of the GPs questioned said they feel ill-equipped to provide Fit Notes:

• 68% of the GPs canvassed felt that Fit Notes will not cut absence levels in the workplace
• 68% of employers had little information about the change in Fit Note policy
• 95% of the employers questioned thought that Fit Notes will not be effective

Significant process changes take time to imbed - and there's clearly room for improvement in the system before we see a positive impact on absence rates. GPs need to make detailed comments on their patients' impairments, and employers need to demonstrate flexibility by taking on board the recommendations made. Perhaps more telling is the fact that, of the 1,000 employees asked, 57% did not think their GP was in a position to say whether or not they could return to work.

With our expertise in the healthcare market and information such as this, gathered in our Health of the Workplace report, we're championing the role of Group Income Protection and Occupation Health Services in assisting employers to act more responsibility in rehabilitation processes. Read more about Business Health, and discover more about Aviva's expertise and role in providing private healthcare at the Home of Health website.

You can find out more about GPs' responses to our questions about Fit Notes in the complete Health of the Workplace report: Issue 4 (PDF 1,507KB).