[UK] The way workers call in sick changed today

From today British workers home sick in bed will no longer be forced to make a trek to their GP to get a sick note, The Sun reports.

New rules, effective from today (July 1) mean nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists can all legally write sick notes allowing workers to get signed off.

Sick notes are a requirement to prove to employers why a person needs more than seven days off work. Previously, only GPs could sign workers off, forcing people to attend oversubscribed doctor surgeries to obtain them.

The change also means that claiming benefits could become easier for those signed off on long-term sickness leave who need financial support from the state. It will also be of help to anyone who needs a sick note to claim Universal Credit.

The new rules have reportedly been brought in to reduce pressure on millions of doctors, who are already facing record-length waiting lists after COVID.

These rules will apply across England, Scotland and Wales. And they are being mirrored in Northern Ireland.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said, “Slashing unnecessary bureaucracy is key to ensuring more patients can see their GP quickly and get the care they need as we bust the COVID backlogs."

Mr Javid wants GPs to be able to deliver an extra 50 million appointments a year by 2024 but many doctors are bogged down in paperwork and other admin which ties them up.

The changes follow a relaxation of the rules in April which meant sick notes could be signed digitally, rather than with pen and paper.

April figures reveal a shocking 6.48 million people currently awaiting NHS treatment.

More than 300,000 of those have reportedly been on waiting lists for over a year.

Mr Javid said earlier this week that there have been "completely unacceptable levels of care" in some areas of the health service.

In addition to changing the way British people can acquire a sick note, the Health Secretary has promised a "digital revolution" to speed up access to the NHS.

The NHS app will soon have a range of new features including the option to directly chat with a GP, manage hospital appointments and access records.

Source: The Sun

(Links and quotes via original reporting)

From today British workers home sick in bed will no longer be forced to make a trek to their GP to get a sick note, The Sun reports.

New rules, effective from today (July 1) mean nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists can all legally write sick notes allowing workers to get signed off.

Sick notes are a requirement to prove to employers why a person needs more than seven days off work. Previously, only GPs could sign workers off, forcing people to attend oversubscribed doctor surgeries to obtain them.

The change also means that claiming benefits could become easier for those signed off on long-term sickness leave who need financial support from the state. It will also be of help to anyone who needs a sick note to claim Universal Credit.

The new rules have reportedly been brought in to reduce pressure on millions of doctors, who are already facing record-length waiting lists after COVID.

These rules will apply across England, Scotland and Wales. And they are being mirrored in Northern Ireland.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said, “Slashing unnecessary bureaucracy is key to ensuring more patients can see their GP quickly and get the care they need as we bust the COVID backlogs."

Mr Javid wants GPs to be able to deliver an extra 50 million appointments a year by 2024 but many doctors are bogged down in paperwork and other admin which ties them up.

The changes follow a relaxation of the rules in April which meant sick notes could be signed digitally, rather than with pen and paper.

April figures reveal a shocking 6.48 million people currently awaiting NHS treatment.

More than 300,000 of those have reportedly been on waiting lists for over a year.

Mr Javid said earlier this week that there have been "completely unacceptable levels of care" in some areas of the health service.

In addition to changing the way British people can acquire a sick note, the Health Secretary has promised a "digital revolution" to speed up access to the NHS.

The NHS app will soon have a range of new features including the option to directly chat with a GP, manage hospital appointments and access records.

Source: The Sun

(Links and quotes via original reporting)