Who can write a fit note in 2022?

A recent change to legislation has meant that it is no longer only doctors who can issue fit notes to patients. The fit note, which replaces the term sick note (also known as a med3 form) can now be certified by a range of healthcare professionals if they have been trained and are working within their scope of practice. Not all health professionals will be working in an environment where they will be needed or able to issue these forms and some discussion has suggested that this will be likely only to be done in general practice where the non-medic is the person who is autonomously seeing their patient, meaning this may likely be an addition to the non-medical prescriber's roles and responsibilities.

This has provoked reaction from many quarters. The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC, 2022) points out that the legislation is permissive so it does not mean that every registrant in the named professions will automatically be required to issue fit notes and that those who do should ensure they are working within their scope of practice and in line with their professional responsibility at all times.