Figures published by the NHS have shown that NHS Sunderland has issued more ‘sick notes’ than any other across the North East and North Cumbria.

The data shows that the healthcare provider has consistently issued more sick notes than the seven other Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) each month since April 2021.

The data, which encompasses the number of sick notes each month from April 2021 to December 2023, shows the highest number of ‘fit notes’ across this group for one ICB was 4,950 in November 2021.

This comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to crackdown on ‘sick note culture’ as part of his Government’s welfare reforms on Friday (April 19).

He said: “We don’t just need to change the sick note, we need to change the sick note culture so the default becomes what work you can do – not what you can’t.  

“Building on the pilots we’ve already started we’re going to design a new system where people have easy and rapid access to specialised work and health support to help them back to work from the very first Fit Note conversation.  

“We’re also going to test shifting the responsibility for assessment from GPs and giving it to specialist work and health professionals who have the dedicated time to provide an objective assessment of someone’s ability to work and the tailored support they need to do so.” 

The figures also showed that, across the April 2021 to December 2023 period, NHS Sunderland issued the most fit notes at 133,389, while NHS Tees Valley issued the least at 90,704.

The research found that Northumberland (96,943), Newcastle and Gateshead (91,310), and County Durham (96,661) issued less than 100,000 fit notes over this period.

While others such as South Tyneside (127,303), North Cumbria (119,507), and North Tyneside (113,833) all issued more than 100,000 notes over the period.

This is according to data provided by the NHS England.

They said the outbreak of coronavirus in the last quarter of 2019-20 led to “unprecedented changes in the work and behaviour of GP practices.”

They said this has impacted the data provided and “caution should be taken in drawing any conclusions from this data without due consideration of the circumstances both locally and nationally”.

The Statement of Fitness for Work (the Med3 form or 'fit note') was introduced in April 2010 across England, Wales and Scotland.

The Prime Minister’s plans and statement have drawn condemnation – with charity Scope saying the move feels “like a full-on assault on disabled people” which could leave some “destitute”.

Mr Sunak said there will be a consultation on proposed changes to a “more objective and rigorous approach” to the benefits system.

He suggested greater medical evidence could be required to justify a personal independence payments (PIP) claim, and that some people with mental health conditions may be offered talking therapies or respite care rather than cash transfers.

Meanwhile, the British Medical Association criticised the PM for his “hostile rhetoric on sicknote culture.” 

Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, chairwoman of GPC England, the BMA’s GP committee, said: “With a waiting list of 7.5 million – not including for mental health problems – delays to diagnostics, and resulting pressures on GP practices, patients cannot get the treatment they need to be able to return to work.

“So rather than pushing a hostile rhetoric on ‘sicknote culture’, perhaps the Prime Minister should focus on removing what is stopping patients from receiving the physical and mental healthcare they need, which in turn prevents them from going back to work.”

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A ‘fit note’ enables healthcare professionals to give advice to patients about the impact of their health condition on their fitness for work and is used to provide medical evidence for employers or to support a claim to health-related benefits through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

A fit note is issued after the first seven days of sickness absence (when patients can self-certify) if the healthcare professional assesses that the patient’s health affects their fitness for work

They may be issued by doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and pharmacists.