Hundreds of GPs tell BBC they have never refused a sick note over mental health concerns
Summary
A survey by the BBC asked over 5,000 GPs in England about issuing sick notes for mental health reasons. Of the 752 GPs who responded, 540 said they had never refused a sick note for such concerns, while 162 had refused at least one. Doctors expressed frustration with being responsible for issuing these notes and noted challenges in managing patient expectations.Key Facts
- The BBC surveyed more than 5,000 GPs in England about mental health-related sick notes.
- Out of 752 GPs who replied, 540 reported never refusing a sick note for mental health issues.
- 162 GPs said they had refused such requests at least once.
- Some GPs expressed that issuing fit notes should not be their responsibility.
- Over 11.2 million fit notes were approved in England last year, with over 956,000 for mental health and behavioral disorders.
- The number of fit notes issued has increased by nearly 850,000 in the past six years.
- GPs, along with other health professionals, can issue fit notes that advise on the patient's ability to work.
- Some doctors feel signing off work is not fair to them, affecting doctor-patient relationships.
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