Patients have refused sick notes in recent times because they feel they cannot afford to take time off work, the chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs has said.
Professor Kamila Hawthorne also said the cost of living crisis has “suddenly got a lot worse in the last couple of months” and she has seen patients who are worried about fuel costs this winter. She told the Guardian of her surprise that people she has tried to sign off work due to illness have refused, saying they must keep working to provide for their families.
She said: “Recently I’ve had patients refusing sick notes because they can’t afford not to work. Quite often, when it’s clear that somebody needs some time off, they won’t take it.
