Cornwall Patients Could Soon Get More Than a Fit Note From Their GP

If you have ever been signed off work and felt like the note in your hand did very little to actually help you get back on your feet, you are not alone. And Cornwall is about to test whether there is a better way.

A new pilot programme across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is trialling ways of supporting people when they become unwell and need time away from work. The aim is to offer more personalised, practical help that keeps people connected to their employment and aids their recovery.

It forms part of a national programme to improve the Fit Note system, so it works better for patients, healthcare professionals and employers alike. In Cornwall, the focus is on providing more tailored support for all patients from select surgeries, as a number of practices trial the new approach across the county.

How it will work

The pilot is being delivered locally through the WorkWell programme, a partnership bringing together NHS services, local councils and community organisations to support people with health conditions to stay in or return to work.

WorkWell works closely with GP practices to connect patients to the right support at the right time. Through this pilot, participating surgeries will begin referring a small number of patients directly into non-clinical support, rather than relying solely on GPs.

That means patients can access a broader range of help, including personalised advice on managing health conditions at work, support with workplace adjustments, guidance from trained work and health coaches, help to stay connected to employment during recovery, and personalised “stay in work” and “return to work” plans for workers who fall ill.

The approach is designed to improve the experience for patients while also making better use of GP time. By connecting people to specialist support earlier, clinicians can focus on medical care, while patients receive more detailed guidance on managing their health alongside work.

What the people behind it say

Jessie Leigh, programme lead for WorkWell in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said the pilot was a real chance for the county.

“This is a really positive opportunity for Cornwall. Through WorkWell, we’re able to work closely with GP practices to offer people more personalised, practical support that looks at their health and work together,” Jessie said.

“Importantly, this pilot is small and carefully targeted, which means we can learn what works best for patients here in Cornwall. What we develop locally will help shape the future national approach, ensuring it’s built around real experiences and delivers meaningful support for people when they need it most.”

St Austell Healthcare is one of the Primary Care Networks that will be trialling the new approach. GP Dr Stewart Smith said a fit note on its own can fall short.

“We’re really pleased to be part of this pilot and to see a more supportive approach being tested for our patients. Too often, a fit note can be quite a limited tool, it doesn’t always reflect the full picture of what someone needs to recover well,” Stewart said.

“This new approach gives us the opportunity to connect patients with tailored support much earlier, whether that’s advice on managing their condition at work or help to stay connected with their employer. I believe this will make a real difference, helping people feel more supported, more confident, and better able to return to work in a way that’s right for them.”

Part of a bigger picture

The Cornwall trial is one of four pilots across England testing new ways to better support people with health conditions. It will begin in July and continue for up to a year.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden was blunt about the current system.

“Fit notes are too often a dead end, a piece of paper that tells people they can’t work but does nothing to help them get better,” Pat said.

“We’re changing that. By bringing employers, the NHS, and patients together we can help people recover faster, stay connected to their jobs, and get the economy firing on all cylinders.”

The launch comes as the Government publishes the Fit Note Call for Evidence, which shows just 3 in 10 healthcare professionals in primary care say Fit Notes are a good use of GPs’ time, while 6 in 10 employers think the current process is ineffective at supporting their employees’ work and health needs.

Trials of a new approach were recommended by former John Lewis chairman Sir Charlie Mayfield in his Keep Britain Working Review into economic inactivity, which noted that the fit note system is “not working as intended” and had become a barrier to contact with employers.

You can find out more about WorkWell on the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB website.