A new fit note scheme designed to help get sick staff back to work was launched by the government in April.

Staff that are off sick for more than seven days will now receive so-called fit notes instead of sick notes from their GPs.

Replacing the traditional sick note, the government hope that the fit note will cut the cost of sick leave for employers and benefit the British economy by an estimated £240m over the next 10 years.

GPs will now be able to advise if an employee may be fit for work and how the employee's condition will affect what they do. GPs will also have the option to advise if their patient would be able to work, subject to the employer's agreement, if temporary changes or amended duties could be accommodated.

"If a GP decides their patient is capable of some form of work, for example if they've got back pain and they should temporarily avoid elements of their normal job, then it will be down to the employer to be flexible enough to accommodate them," said Dr Laurence Buckman, chair of the British Medical Association's GPs committee.

However, more than a third of businesses reckon the new fit note scheme has made absolutely no difference. That's according to a survey by EEF, the manufacturers' organisation, which found that just 25% said it had helped.

The idea was to encourage a fundamental change in attitudes - so whereas the sick note focused on what a person couldn't do, the fit note would focus on what they could. This would reduce the amount of time they'd need to be signed off, potentially saving the nation a fortune.
 
Trouble is, more than 40% of business respondents say the scheme has led to no better advice from GPs on how to get people back faster. For their part, doctors say they're confused over what to advise, questioning how they're supposed to fill out the forms properly in a 10-minute consultation. And you can hardly blame a GP if they're not sure what a driving instructor with a bad back should be getting on with until they're back up to speed.