NSW: Patients to sign declaration of honesty on sick notes

AAP General News (Australia)
04-05-1999
NSW: Patients to sign declaration of honesty on sick notes

SYDNEY, April 5 AAP - Patients will reportedly have to sign a declaration of honesty on
work sick leave forms with the introduction of new certificates to doctors in New South Wales.

Patients who ask for a medical certificate after an illness will have to sign the
declaration saying they are being honest about their symptoms, the Daily Telegraph newspaper
said today.

The new forms read: "I (patient's name) certify that the information on which this letter
of support has been issued is true and correct", followed by a space for the patient's
signature.

The certificates were designed to reduce the $7 billion in annual costs in "sickie" frauds,
protect general practitioners and put the onus on the patients to be honest.

Australian Medical Association president Dr David Brand said the certificate was developed
in response to reports that seven out of ten doctors issued sick notes without evidence of
illness.

"We felt we need to make a certificate that spelt out more clearly what patients were
telling us versus what we could find wrong with them," Dr Brand said.

Victorian doctors were already using the certificates.

AAP knr/trm

KEYWORD: NOTES

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