UK Trials £3 Million Fit Note Overhaul Across 4 Areas to Cut 11 Million Annual Sign-Offs
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 20
UK Trials £3 Million Fit Note Overhaul Across 4 Areas to Cut 11 Million Annual Sign-Offs
8 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 20
Four pilot schemes in England will test replacing or supplementing GP fit notes with return-to-work support, covering up to 100,000 appointments over a year.
Two areas—Birmingham and Solihull, and Coventry and Warwickshire—will pair fit notes with referrals, while Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, and Lancashire and South Cumbria, will stop issuing fit notes entirely.
The £3 million programme uses existing NHS WorkWell sites and will assess whether healthcare staff or non-clinical workers such as work coaches are better placed to lead support and employer adjustments.
Ministers say the current system is "broken": more than 11 million fit notes are issued annually and over nine in 10 sign people off work completely, with rising sickness absence adding to NHS and benefits pressure.
The pilots follow a review led by Sir Charlie Mayfield that found GPs often lack time and training to judge work capacity; GPs backed reducing paperwork but warned reforms must protect patients and avoid extra workload.
As 'fit notes' are phased out, could 'work support' services pressure the sick back to work prematurely?
Can community activities fix a £150 billion economic problem caused by the UK's long-term sickness crisis?
With GPs referring patients to non-clinical coaches, who becomes legally responsible for return-to-work decisions?
WorkWell Pilot 2026: Transforming the UK Fit Note System to Tackle Economic Inactivity and GP Workload
Overview
The WorkWell pilot, launched in May 2026, marks a major shift in the UK’s approach to supporting people with health conditions to stay in or return to work. Responding to evidence that the old fit note system was inefficient for both GPs and employers, WorkWell aims to move away from GPs as the main issuers of fit notes and instead provide more integrated, tailored support. By focusing on collaboration between health, employment, and community services, the pilot seeks to reduce administrative burdens on doctors and offer practical help to individuals, making the process more supportive and effective for everyone involved.