Indentified Burden
|
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The number of medical reports produced by GPs for life insurance
companies is being reduced
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Circular issued to all ABI members, advising reduced referrals
(March 2001)
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GPs will no longer be expected to provide patients with a certificate
to explain a short-term absence from an attendance centre
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Circular issued to all Attendance Centre Officers in Charge,
advising that GPs need not be consulted for short term sickness
absences
(March 2001)
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GPs do not need to certify whether private pensions
holders are still alive
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.The Association of British Insurers has issued guidance to
annuity providers to remove from forms sent to annuitants the suggestion
that the GP could countersign to confirm their existence
(March 2001)
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Surgery staff other than GPs will be allowed to ‘sign
off’ pre-notification breast & cervical screening
lists
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Revised procedure notified to GPs via a DoH GP Bulletin
(March 2001)
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GPs should only be asked to certify ‘dial-a-ride’ applications in exceptional circumstances. On these rare occasions, GPs will
be asked to provide factual clinical information only.
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Article advising of change appeared in ‘Community Transport’ publication
(March 2001)
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The development of local protocols on child health & education – covering
the most appropriate role for a GP – will be encouraged
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Letter issued by the Cabinet Office to all Directors of Education
advising Local Education Authorities (LEAs) and Heath Authorities
(HAs) to co-operate at a local level to formulate joint child health
policies
(April 2001)
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GPs should only be approached regarding the entitlement of a
disabled person to a free telephone (or related equipment) or help
with minor alterations to their home, when no other professional
can provide the information
.
|
Revised procedure notified GPs via a DoH Chief Executive’s
Bulletin
(April 2001)
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Practice Nurses will be able to issue certificates to
jurors in the event of sickness during service
|
Circular issued to all Crown Court Managers advising them of
new arrangement
(April 2001)
|
GPs will no longer be expected to sign applications for a Disabled
Persons Railcard for people with severe epilepsy
|
Revised guidance issued in ATOC ‘Rail Travel for Disabled
Passengers’ booklet
(May 2001)
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GPs should be approached regarding applications for concessionary
bus fares only when their input is essential. On these rare occasions,
only confirmation of clinical information will be requested.
|
Changes published in guidance on ‘Concessionary Fares
for Disabled People’ under the Transport Act 2000
(May 2001)
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GPs are not required to record injuries for police purposes
|
Circular issued to all Chief Police Officers advising of revised
practice.
(June 2001)
|
GPs do not need to provide jurors with a certificate to excuse
them from jury service
|
Court Service circular ‘Juror Update’ issued to
all courts advising of revised procedure
(June 2001)
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GPs are not required to certify immunisation returns
|
Local arrangements under the terms of the ‘Red Book’ notified
to Health Authorities
(June 2001)
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GPs no longer need to make a declaration in support of patients
who wish to have a postal vote
|
Legislative change made. Representation of the People Act 2000
now applies
(June 2001)
|
The maternity certificates (form MATB1) completed by health
professionals (incl. GPs) as part of the Sure Start Maternity Grant
(SSMG) claim will be reviewed
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MATB1 & SSMG forms reviewed
(June 2001)
SSMG form revised removing reference to GPs
(October 2001)
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GPs will no longer be expected to countersign passport applications
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Passport application forms now revised, removing reference to
GPs
(June 2001)
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GPs will no longer be expected to sign the statement at Part 1
of the Attendance Allowance or Disability
Allowance application forms
|
Changes made to the Attendance Allowance & Disability Living
Allowance forms removing the need for GPs to sign Part 1
(July 2001)
|
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
|
A letter has been issued by the Chief Operating Officer (DoH)
to all NHS Trusts, authorising local arrangements between hospitals & GPs
to be established
(July 2001)
|
GPs role in the mental health assessment process will be clarified
to reduce unnecessary involvement
|
Guidance for GPs: Medical Examinations & Medical Recommendations
under the Mental Health Act 1983 issued by DoH
(July 2001)
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The feasibility of allowing community mental health practitioners
to certify severe impairment of mental health for the purposes
of obtaining a council tax discount is being investigated
|
Feasibility study undertaken which concluded that the costs
outweighed the benefits
(August 2001)
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Certificates Med 3 & Med 5 (which record the doctor’s
advice to the patient on their capacity for work with and without
an examination of the patient on the day of issue) will be available
in a single pad
|
New combined certificate pads now available to GPs
(September 2001)
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GPs and midwives will be able to sign maternity certificates
(form MATB1) from 20 weeks before the estimated week of confinement rather
than the existing 14 weeks.
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New regulations (and revised forms) have come into effect
(September 2001)
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Best practice guidance to minimise referrals to GPs
by the legal profession will be issued
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Guidance issued
(October 2001)
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Health professionals other than GPs will clarify, if necessary,
that a patient is suitable for loans of some Red Cross
medical equipment such as self-propelled wheelchairs
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The British Red Cross have adopted a self-referral policy removing
GPs from the process
(May 2002)
|
Proposals to reduce the GP role in the disabled parking
permit system will be invited in a discussion paper
|
Consultation exercise completed. Discussion paper prepared and
presented to Ministers on options to reduce GP burden
(May 2002)
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Identified Burden
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Action taken
|
The DWP and the Benefits Agency is actively working to ensure
that it will only approach GPs for Attendance Allowance & Disability
Allowance factual reports where their input is essential & can
not be provided by anyone else
|
Piloting of a new training package for Benefit Decision-Makers,
aimed at ensuring that they seek the right form of corroborative
evidence – January 2002 onwards |
The Electoral Commission will be asked to consider whether attestation
of long-term proxy vote applications should continue to be required
from GPs and others
|
Electoral Commission launched a review of absent voting, including
the future of proxy voting, in November 2001 and is due to produce
final recommendations in October 2002
|
Access to death records by insurance companies will be incorporated
into the review of civil registration services
|
Civil Registration Services White Paper was published on 21
January 2002. ONS are preparing a Regulatory Reform Order (RRO)
to carry
forward the proposed changes – November 2002
|
The Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance factual
report will be revised to focus on clinical facts rather than subjective
opinion
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On track for implementation in 2002
|
GPs will be approached regarding Disabled Facilities
Grants for major structural alterations only when their input is essential & no-one
else can provide it
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Revised guidance on good practice to be published later in 2002
|
Subject to successful pilots which, begun in 2002, the power to
certify incapacity for work will be extended to nurse practitioners
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Research to begin in 2002/3 financial year
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