Doctors move to extend sickness self-certification to two weeks

Current regulations say employers can require staff to fill out a sickness self-certification form for absences of up to seven days. In a bid to open appointments for more urgent matters, the British Medical Association (BMA) is calling for that period to be extended to 14 days.

Dr Richard Vautrey, Chairman of the BMA’s General Practitioners Committee says writing “fit notes” for employees who only need two weeks off from work is taking away vital time doctors could be spending with patients who truly need appointments.

Dr Vautrey commented: “If you’ve got a patient who very clearly has an illness that is going to last 10 days to two weeks, why do you need to make an appointment with a GP just to get that note to tell their employer what their employer probably knows already and what the patient should be trusted to be able to pass on?”

He says most patients with illnesses are better within a week, but some take longer to recover, especially if they’ve suffered a minor injury such as a sprained ankle.

An extension of the sickness self-certification period means employees can take two full weeks off work without having to prove they’re actually sick, causing a worry that some people might take advantage of the policy.

Attendees at the BMA’s annual conference this week voted on a motion calling for the policy to be changed. However, the government has said it has no plans to amend the current procedure.

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