A Recipe for Bureaucratic Disaster

MW123

The proposed fit note system overhaul is a catastrophic mistake, stripping GPs of their authority to issue fit notes. Although GPs would no longer be issuing fit notes, they would still need to dedicate time and resources to providing medical information to the new organisation or agency, just to clarify the medical reason their patient is not fit for work.

The new organisation would face a Herculean challenge, tasked with managing a staggering volume of sick note requests. This would not only include requests from those receiving sickness benefits but also from millions of employees who will require them, since self-certification is only valid for one week.

This proposed overhaul is a ticking time bomb, poised to unleash a maelstrom of bureaucratic red tape, inefficiency, and delay. It's a high-stakes gamble that could have devastating consequences for the health and wellbeing of millions. The government, or any future administration considering a similar approach,  would do well to rethink this proposal and prioritise the needs of patients and healthcare professionals alike.

Rosie_Scope

It does feel as if it hasn't been thought through @MW123.

I've heard there will be more information coming out over the next few days and weeks, so it'll be interesting to read into it some more and see if they'll attempt to explain how they'll tackle any of these issues.

MW123

woodbine said:

The good news is that it will never happen.

Woodbine, while I appreciate your optimism regarding these proposals being contingent on the Tories winning the next election, uncertainty shrouds the timing of such an event.

Speculation abounds about the possibility of an Autumn general election. It's not unfathomable that the Tories are labouring under the delusion that the Autumn budget, with its meagre offerings, could serve as their saving grace, a final gambit to cling to power. With this in mind, I wouldn't be surprised if they drag their feet and postpone the election until January 2025.

While I sincerely hope I'm mistaken, I can't shake the dread of contemplating the potential hardships they might inflict on the nation during this prolonged uncertainty. On a brighter note, many councils are gearing up for local elections in just a couple of weeks. This presents an opportunity for those in areas where elections are being held to make their voices heard at the ballot box.

apple85

woodbine said:

Good point re:local elections the Tories might lose 1000 seats thats 1000 fewer people to work for free for them come the GE, he seems to be pinning his hopes on some economic miracle over the Summer...he's going to be disappointed .

Sunak may not make it to the summer as Tory leader if he loses that many local election seats

plus even if he survives a vote of no power from that point he’ll only be Tory leader in name only - tories would practically be the walking dead after a no confidence 

yes I’m worried about the last minute January 26th? Election date 
however parliament can dissolve no later than dec 17th - which means Xmas & new year campaigning - even diehard Tory voters will be peeved by that (and the Tory’s can’t afford that - they need to prevent a total blowout of their vote, not destroy it further)

I think there are 2 major questions:

would the tories rather go before or after the us election?

is sunak delusionally hanging on till winter or is he aware that he’s basically a pm on a tightrope over lava at this point?
if so what way would he want to go out on his ‘own terms’?

apple85

@MW123

if there’s an autumn budget it will most likely be earlier than usual in September 

and as the public and press have recently gotten so good at poking holes in recent budgets it would be stupid to give the public 4 months to find all the small print before a possible jan election (unless they are hoping we’ve forgotten the contents of any budget by then - in which case what was the point of the budget in the first place)