DOCTORS across Dorset are signing almost 40 people off work every day on average, new figures show.

Figures from NHS Digital show that doctors from Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group signed 38 fit notes, on average, every day in the last financial year with GPs issuing a total of 13,946 between April 2017 and March this year.

That’s down on the previous 12 months, but the NHS says that a technical error meant the figures for February 2018 were under-recorded.

People in work need a fit note, previously called a sick note, if they are off work for more than seven days however up to that point they can self-certify that they are unwell.

Across England, 5.3 million fit notes were handed out in the 12 months.

Women were signed off sick more than men however they received 57 per cent of the fit notes in the 12 months.

The most recent monthly data, for March this year, shows that highest rate of notes given to working-age patients was in Halton, Cheshire with the lowest rate being in Camden, London.

Despite being called fit notes, most of those issued classify people as unfit for work which was the case for 94 per cent of the notes.

However, fit notes are also used to advise patients and their employers on getting back to work which includes recommendations for an employee to make a phased return or work reduced hours or with limited duties.

The most common reasons that doctors signed people off work were mental and behavioural disorders, particularly stress, and back problems.

Dr John Chisholm, health and work lead for the Royal College of GPs, said that “anyone could ask for a fit note” but stressed that while a GP’s role as their patients’ advocate remains paramount, there’s been a shift in attitudes about whether it’s best for people to take time off sick.

He added: “There’s now much greater awareness that patients’ best interests are served, and their health and wellbeing protected by encouraging them to remain in, or return to, work.

“Most GPs are only too aware that the longer someone’s off sick, the harder it is to get back to work. Worklessness comes at great personal, financial and social cost.

“So GPs will make a judgement as to what’s in their patient’s best interest.”

Dr Jon Orrell, GP at the Royal Crescent Surgery in Weymouth, added: “They are a good idea but because they are advisory the scheme doesn’t work as the government intended when they first introduced them.”

He added they could not force employers to amend job duties which could allow some people to return to work.