Getting the best from the fit note

Introduction

Sickness absence costs UK employers £9 billion a year in sick pay and associated costs and the government spends £13 billion annually on health-related benefits.[1] Unnecessary absence is known to be harmful to an individual’s health and well-being.[2] It is therefore a priority to reduce sickness absence and work disability due to ill health and to improve the health of the working population through closer collaboration between the health and employment sectors.[3] The Statement of Fitness for Work or ‘fit note’ is one of the main tools the government has introduced to effect this change.[4] [5]The fit note was introduced in April 2010 to replace the…