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Sick Notes to become Fit Notes?

Last year, a consultation took place in relation to a proposal to introduce "fit notes" to replace the sick note.

2010 is expected to see the introduction of new "Fit Note" forms which are intended to provide greater information to employers on an employee's medical condition. It also expected that the Fit Notes will be issued electronically.

The Fit Note gives an employee's doctor the opportunity to state if the patient is fit for work, for some work or for no work at all. The doctor will also be able to comment on whether adjustments to the role or conditions of the workplace would help the employee.

The new Fit Notes may be helpful to employers, particularly in relation to making adjustments for staff, but employers will still need to consider issues of disability carefully and will need to take legal advice and specialist medical advice where it is suspected that the employee's condition may amount to a disability.

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