UK: According to the head of the Royal College of GPs, more and more Britons with serious illnesses are refusing sick notes these days because they believe they cannot afford to take time off of work.
Sick notes are essential for many people in the UK who are recovering from accidents, illnesses, or long-term health concerns. They are typically provided by general practitioners, or GPs, and tell the employer of any pertinent information regarding the absence as well as how long the employee may need off work.
The chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, Dr. Kamila Hawthorne, stated, “I’ve been really surprised in the last year that when I’ve offered a sick note they’ve said ‘Oh no, no, I can’t take time off. I need the money from work’.”
In recent months, a large number of patients have presented with chronic illnesses including diabetes and asthma, lifestyle-related conditions like weariness and mouth ulcers, as well as mental health issues. However, they refuse to take time off of work due to illness, claiming they must continue working to support their families, according to Hawthorne.
Also Read: HP anticipates laying off another 6000 workers globally in the upcoming several years
Cost of living crisis in the UK is mostly to blame for the decline in people’s health
Hawthorne contends that the cost of living crisis in the UK is mostly to blame for the decline in people’s health. Many people are unable to heat their homes or eat anything more than a subpar, nutritionally insufficient diet due to the rising costs of food and fuel. Financial stress is also having a disastrous effect on their mental health, she claimed.
Also Read: Turkey: Magnitude 6 earthquake rattles the nation’s capital, Ankara
Those refusing sick notes are primarily young to middle-aged persons
According to Hawthorne, who was mentioned by the Guardian, those refusing sick notes are primarily young to middle-aged persons, including those who work in call centres, but it is also observed in those with young families and older people.
The “moral discomfort” that doctors experience when they desire to be able to aid their patients is further described by Hawthorne. She also cautioned that the already overburdened services provided by family doctors will be further burdened by disease connected to mounting household financial strains.
Hawthorne worries that the coming of winter would make the situation for the patients’ welfare and health even worse. “People are very, very anxious about what’s to come and whether they’re going to have to choose between heating and eating.”
Since early 2021, the cost of living in the UK has been rising. The cost of food, gas, electricity, fuel, rent, and mortgages have all increased significantly as a result of inflation reaching a 41-year high. The Office of National Statistics reports that gas prices have climbed by 98.5% over the course of a year.
Keep watching our YouTube Channel ‘DNP INDIA’. Also, please subscribe and follow us on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and TWITTER
