Overview
- The Department for Work and Pensions announced the pilots on Wednesday, May 20, launching four models from July that in some places remove GPs from the fit-note process and route patients to non-clinical or blended support teams.
- The trials will run for up to a year, cover up to 100,000 appointments and have initial backing of £3 million to test personalised 'stay in work' and 'return to work' plans instead of the current single tick-box fit note.
- Each pilot tests a different model: Birmingham & Solihull keeps an optional GP-issued first note then refers to non-clinical support, Coventry & Warwickshire uses a GP-first then blended service, while Cornwall and Lancashire pilots bypass GPs and use non-clinical or mixed teams respectively.
- Medical bodies and disability charities gave cautious support but insisted pilots must include clinical oversight, training, clear governance and adequate resources to protect patient safety and avoid shifting workload back onto GPs.
- The pilots are linked to a wider WorkWell expansion intended to help up to 250,000 people and will be evaluated to decide whether to change national rules; the move follows concerns that more than 11 million fit notes are issued each year with little return-to-work planning.