Wales to launch electronic sick notes

The Department of Work and Pensions in Wales is to launch a trial of electronic sick notes in GP practices.

The DWP told EHI Primary Care that its plan was for GP practices in south Wales to take part in the pilot of electronic versions of the Med 3 form although at the moment there are no details of how many practices will be involved and when the trial will start.

A spokesperson added: “We are just looking at the necessary software changes that are needed before we can go ahead. We hope that it will improve communications and help GPs and employers to use sick notes more effectively.”

According to a report in Personnel Today the aim of the trial is to eliminate problems reading doctors’ handwriting and encourage GPs to make better use of the 'remarks' section of the sicknote to help employers understand a workers' illness or injury.

However Dr Peter Holden, chairman of the British Medical Association’s professional fees committee, claimed an electronic system offered the potential for someone to hack into the software and create bogus sicknotes and said he would discourage doctors from completing the remarks section as that was not part of a GP’s job.

Dr Sayeed Khan, clinical development lead and a member of the Department of Health’s sickness absence certification project advisory board, said workshops conducted with GPs on the proposed changes had generated a positive reaction.