Sick leave policy takes a turn for the worse
Sick leave policy takes a turn for the worse
Government proposals to dramatically revamp the sick note system have been labelled a 'missed opportunity' by the medical profession and trade unions. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the proposals announced this week by health secretary Alan Johnson 'rather than address the real problems, make things worse. By focusing on information to the employer rather than the employee, they may serve to undermine the relationship between the GP and the patient, and lead to accusations that doctors are being asked to police the benefits system.' He added: 'Rather than focus on sick notes, the government should be looking at how to give people who have been off for some time the right to return to work on a phased or reduced basis without losing all their benefits straight away, improve access to rehabilitation services, and invest more in preventing people from becoming ill at work in the first place.' Dr Peter Holden, a lead negotiator for the BMA's General Practitioners Committee, said: 'Confirming that a patient is unwell is very different from making a judgment on whether someone is well enough to do their job. This may be determined by a host of other non-medical factors concerning the equipment they are using or the physical environment in which they work. GPs should not be there to police the system.'
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