Britain's sick note epidemic laid bare: Doctors issued 11 MILLION 'fit notes' last year as damning report reveals number of people off work with illness has doubled in just nine years

The scale of Britain's sick note culture is today laid bare as a damning report reveals the number doled out has doubled in less than a decade.

Health workers issued 11 million sick notes, also called 'fit notes', in England last year, up 108 per cent from 5.3 million in 2015, according to Policy Exchange think-tank.

Its report calls for the system to be overhauled to curb long-term sickness absence, which it warns is stifling the economy and creating an unsustainable welfare bill.

The authors highlight that one-third of people given sick notes are signed off for four weeks or more, by which time 20 per cent will never return to work.

Further evidence suggests once staff are signed off for six months, 80 per cent will never return.

Last year, an incredible 186 million working days were lost due to sickness or injury, with soaring numbers absent for extended periods due to mental health issues or behaviour disorders.

Meanwhile, the Office for Budget Responsibility has forecast that spending on incapacity and disability benefit is set to rise by 49 per cent to £90.9 billion between 2023/24 and 2028/29. 

Policy Exchange analysed the latest NHS figures, which show 93 per cent of sick notes issued last year were signed 'not fit for work' without making any suggestions for how the individual's job could be adjusted to allow them to continue in some capacity.

It argues that the note has become 'a de facto system of self-certification' in which health professionals have too little time, to refer individuals to effective support, making the growth in long-term sickness tougher to tackle.

Mental and behavioural disorders are cited as the reason for sick notes being issued in 37 per cent of cases where a diagnosis is provided.

The Policy Exchange report has called on the Government to reform incapacity and disability assessment. Furthermore, it wants any individual signed off with a diagnosis of a mental or behavioural disorder for more than 14 days to be automatically referred for an assessment by an occupational health professional.

Furthermore, it wants any individual signed off with a diagnosis of a mental or behavioural disorder for more than 14 days to be automatically referred for an assessment by an occupational health professional.

A Government spokesman said: 'We have already committed to reform the fit note system to better support people to start, stay and succeed in work.

'These reforms are part of our £2.5 billion Back to Work Plan to help over a million disabled people look for and stay in work.'