Doctors should not be policing the benefits system - Lamb

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 19th Feb 2008

Commenting on reports that Alan Johnson is to explore how GPs can issue 'well notes' to people on incapacity benefit, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said:

"We cannot have doctors policing the benefits system. They are already under huge administrative burden and need to be able to focus on providing a more flexible GP service to patients. There is a serious issue to be tackled here and we do need to be more sophisticated than just giving out old-fashioned sick notes.

"The best way for the NHS to reduce numbers on long term sick leave would be to provide more effective and long term treatments for the huge number of people with mental health problems on incapacity benefit."