Fit Note system must be made workable for employers

Responding to the Government’s new Fit Note plans announced today, Angela Matthews, Director of Public Policy and Research at Business Disability Forum, said:

“The current Fit Note system is not working for anyone. People using the system find it difficult to access and it places too much responsibility on time-poor GPs who cannot be expected to know someone’s job or the workplace adjustments that they would need.

“Employers tell us that recommendations about how to support someone coming back to work are either missing from Fit Notes or they are not detailed enough to be of use. This creates addition delays and frustrations for the person looking to return to work and their line manager.

“We support plans to pilot a more flexible system with multiple routes in for individuals as well as more practical and tailored support for employees and their employers. We are also pleased to see that the Government is planning to consult with employers. This is vital if we want to make sure the new Fit Notes are fit for purpose and the process for delivering them is workable.

“We are unsure about the practicalities of the three-way conversation between employee, employer and trained professional being proposed. We support this approach, but in our experience, this could be complicated to organise logistically and could make the return-to-work process longer. We will be feeding back on this.

“While we hope the reform of Fit Note system will make it easier for people to get back to work more quickly and with the support they need, these changes will have limited impact unless wider workplace inclusion issues are also addressed.

“The Government must reduce NHS waiting times, for example. Often Fit Notes have to be extended because people are still waiting for a diagnosis or to access the NHS treatment they need in order to be well enough to return to work.

“We also need the Government to end the current uncertainty around the funding of workplace adjustments through Access to Work, recognising that people may need adjustments to make the return to work possible. The Government announced plans to address the Access to Work backlog earlier in the week, but employers and disabled people are still waiting to hear about additional funding for the scheme itself.”