Employers set for better health following launch of electronic sick notes
The recent launch of electronically generated sick notes at the beginning of July is set to boost the health of employers’ sick leave records according to employment specialists at Linder Myers.
The new system will be adopted by the majority of GPs by the beginning of 2013 and will include the same information as the historically handwritten version but will have the benefit of being tamper proof.
Commenting on the new system Joanne White, employment specialist at Linder Myers in Shropshire said: “This brings the traditional medical note into the 21st century and provides greater control and peace of mind to employers as the new electronically generated sick note will not only be easier to read and impossible to forge, but will also revolutionise how sickness is recorded.
“Current figures from the Office of National Statistics show that 131 million days a year are lost in the UK due to sickness and I would anticipate this figure coming down fairly significantly once the new system is in wide use. Employees will no longer be able to tamper with sick notes or make up ailments as the new version allows employers to check the credibility of notes via a barcode if they have the correct systems in place to facilitate this. It is worthwhile for employers to start familiarising themselves with the method and putting the systems in place to take full advantage.”
GPs will be able to print off the notes however, will not be able to email them out to employers. Further guidance can be found at the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
