The next step

Guidance for employers on fit notes

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Q&A - fit notes from their local pharmacy?

Q. We understand that the government has extended the list of registered health professionals who can issue fit notes to include registered pharmacists. Does this mean that our employees can now obtain fit notes from their local high street pharmacy?

A. Whilst the relevant legislation doesn’t make a clear distinction between registered pharmacists who work in GP surgeries and/or at hospitals and those employed in local pharmacies, the government has confirmed that local and community pharmacists will be unable to issue fit notes . This is because they are not being given access to the fit note forms and won’t be provided with the relevant training.

So, if, say, one of your employees tells you they obtained a fit note from their local high street pharmacist when they popped in to get some cough medicine, you should look into this claim extremely carefully! Following these changes, the government has updated its fit note guidance for employers (see The next step ).

For the guidance for employers on fit notes, visit https://www.tips-and-advice.co.uk , Download Zone, year 24, issue 17.