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Q & A - Certification
Index
CR503 - Short term certificates required by probation service
CR502 - Short term certificates
CR501 - Declaration of
Health BP11 – Health Assessment for Temporary Staffing
Q CR503 - Short term certificates required by probation service – We are getting an increasing number of offenders sent to us by the probation service for short term certificates to justify a failure to report when required. They are insistent that these are essential, but we are reluctant to make special provisions for this situation. What should we do?
(17/10/05)
Answer – You are not obliged to provide a short term medical certificate for this
purpose. The Government initiative to reduce unnecessary paperwork in general practice was aimed at cutting the 2.4 million unnecessary consultations to obtain a short term certificates.
We contacted the SE Hampshire and Isle of Wight Probation Service about this problem and as a result they have advised their staff that Probation Officers in their
area will in future have the discretion to accept self certification from offenders on two occasions. If an offender subsequently claims further episodes of short term illness he or she will be permitted to
provide alternative medical evidence, such as a copy of a prescription or a medical appointment card.
Obviously a medical certificate may be required if an offender is ill for more than 7 days.
Similar provisions should be equally acceptable to other Probation Services. Contact the LMC if you continue to experience difficulties.
CED
Q CR502 - Short term certificates - Do you know of a letter for use when patients request a short term certificate to satisfy their
employers?
(10/03/05)
Answer - GPs are under no legal or contractual obligation to provide
short term certificates for the benefit of their patient’s employers. This is an occupational health service, which is not provided under the NHS. Wessex LMCS has recently revised a generic letter to inform patients
and employers about this, which you may find helpful.
See also
Recurrent short term sickness and certification
CED
Q CR501 - Health Assessment for Temporary Staffing - A patient has asked me to sign a Declaration of Health BP11 – Health Assessment
for Temporary Staffing Compliant with NHS Regional Framework. It asks for confirmation of physical and mental fitness for the work and confirmation that her immunisations are up to date, including
evidence of a satisfactory BCG scar! Am I obliged to fill it in and am I able to charge a fee?
(12/01/05)
Answer - You do not have to complete the form, but if you do you may
charge a fee. This is yet another example of an agency or employer seeking to avoid their own occupational health responsibility and obligations by trying to transfer the burden to the GP. Occupational
health provision is not part of essential services under the new contract and this form is not a prescribed certificate.
If you choose to fill in the form you should strike out any areas where you are unable to confirm fitness for work, immunisation status or
requirements. You should sign the form ‘based on review of the patient’s medical records’. It may also be prudent to add that ‘whilst
there appear to be no contraindications to employment, formal occupational health assessment by the employer is always essential to ensure that any employee is fit to work and is fully protected against
any occupational hazards.’
If you refuse to fill in the form, the patient would be entitled to request a copy of their entire medical record under the Data Protection Act for
a maximum fee of £50. Since you are the only person with access to the full health details, this information would be required by any doctor or nurse carrying out a formal occupational health assessment!
See also
Immunisation records of agency nurses.
CED
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