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.
