HUNDREDS of thousands of sick notes were given to patients in Hampshire last year, causing concerns of the impact this could have on workers and employers.

Since 2012, GPs have been able to give patients electronic 'fit notes', which say whether the patient is too sick to return to work, or give other recommendations, such as a phased return to work.

NHS Digital data shows 245,472 of these notes were given to patients in the former NHS Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight CCG area in the year to June – equivalent to 25,058 for every 100,000 registered working-aged patients.

These figures cover the number of individual notes issued, and patients may have received multiple notes over the course of the year.

Across England, the number of fit notes rose to 10.4 million in the year to June, up 8.6 per cent from 9.5m in the year to June 2019.

It has been suggested that 'long Covid' could be contributing to the increase in workers being signed off for longer periods, alongside lengthy waiting lists for NHS treatment since the start of the pandemic.

The Health Foundation, a charity which carries out research on healthcare, said that this rise in sickness duration was "incredibly worrying" and could have disastrous consequences if people are forced to leave work altogether.

Data from the Office for National Statistics shows the number of people off work due to long-term sickness in the UK is at all-time high, with 2.49m people now 'economically inactive' due to ill health.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said they have published updated guidance to employers on how to support employees that are managing a health condition.

Dr Matt Nisbet, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) board member, said: “Fit notes are required by an employer if a person is off work sick for more than seven days. Following an assessment, fit notes can be administered by a doctor, nurse, occupational therapist, pharmacist or physiotherapist. They can be issued for a large number of medical reasons from broken bones to mental health issues.”