Hospital certification

Making a Difference -Reducing General Practitioner (GP) Paperwork sets out that;
"Sick certification will be integrated into the hospital discharge process so that hospital doctors and consultants will not refer patients to a GP solely for the purpose of obtaining a sickness certificate."

The target date for this was July 2001!  

Hospital staff should therefore provide their patients with an adequate certificate to cover the expected period of disability. If the patient has unexpected complications that necessitate a GP consultation, it is appropriate for the GP to provide any necessary treatment and/or specialist referral and to provide any additional certification that is required. Similarly if the patient's recovery is delayed beyond the expected period then the GP is obliged to provide further certification.

Whenever a patient is discharged without adequate certification it is worth personalising the letter to the Chief Executive of the hospital to draw the matter to his or her attention.

CED        15/5/07