Long-term jobless to be told to find work

New guidance for GPs has been released for consultation which suggests a doctor should see a patient's return to work as an indication of "successful clinical treatment".

The inclusion of the suggestion comes after a General Medical Council consultation where the Department for Work and Pensions responded with the suggestion.

The department also made the suggestion that GPs should enquire whether or not their patients had a job or not, but this was not accepted for inclusion in the guidance.

The new draft of the GMC’s Good Medical Practice guidance said that doctors "must support patients in caring for themselves to empower them to improve and maintain their health".

"This may include encouraging patients, including those with long-term conditions, to stay in or return to employment or other purposeful activity." 

However many GPs have responded with anger to the proposals and said they will be made to carry out the government's "dirty work" for them.

Dr John Hughes, the secretary of the Manchester LMC, said: "I’m wondering how much pressure the GMC has come under from the Government for this."

Niall Dickson, the chief executive of the GMC, said: "We don’t want to suggest doctors become policemen of the state. It has to be where it is in the patient’s best interest that encouragement and support is given."

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