Written questions

Medical Certificates: Autism and Mental Illness

2026-06-23 · Department of Health and Social Care · 13073 · Official question

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that fit note assessments comply with NICE guidelines for autism and severe mental health conditions.

Answer

Fit notes can be certified by five groups of healthcare professionals: doctors; nurses; occupational therapists; pharmacists; and physiotherapists.Fit notes are based on the professional’s clinical assessment of a patient’s health condition, and their cli...