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Sick-Note Britain: How Social Problems Became Medical Issues
Dr Adrian Massey has worked at the intersection of medicine and society for decades. He argues compellingly that our hyper-medicalized society has falsely equated sickness with illness, and sickness with unfitness to work--whereas sickness is primarily a social problem requiring social, not medical, solutions.
Sick-Note Britain lays bare Britain's gross when doctors cannot 'fix' anxiety or chronic pain, workplace attendance is still treated as a matter for arbitration by our strained primary care service. What is needed is a tailored, employer-employee contractual solution, but obstacles block this excessively complex employment law constraining both sides; an outdated benefits system that overburdens doctors and traumatizes the vulnerable; and a workplace culture that is too inflexible to keep sick employees in work.
This is a blistering condemnation of a sham system that works for nobody, and an urgent call to rethink how we manage sickness--for the sake of our economy, our wellbeing, and our health service.
Sick-Note Britain lays bare Britain's gross when doctors cannot 'fix' anxiety or chronic pain, workplace attendance is still treated as a matter for arbitration by our strained primary care service. What is needed is a tailored, employer-employee contractual solution, but obstacles block this excessively complex employment law constraining both sides; an outdated benefits system that overburdens doctors and traumatizes the vulnerable; and a workplace culture that is too inflexible to keep sick employees in work.
This is a blistering condemnation of a sham system that works for nobody, and an urgent call to rethink how we manage sickness--for the sake of our economy, our wellbeing, and our health service.
368 pages, Hardcover
Published April 1, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 13, 2026
I would give this 6 stars if I could. Dr Massey perfectly captures the ennui within general practice when it comes to sickness certification, but this book is so much more. I'll be sharing my copy around the other GPs at my practice!
June 23, 2020
This is a fascinating book that is also extremely readable - which one wouldn't expect given the subject matter of GPs signing off sick notes! It is, however, far more than that, as Dr Massey expertly takes the reader on a far more expansive journey. He weaves in history, economics, politics, futurology, razor sharp personal anecdotes and a healthy dose of pop culture as he rams home his central points about the flaws in the current way sickness is handled in the workplace. The writing has a lightness of touch that is in places reminiscent of Bill Bryson.
A very good read and you'll learn something.
A very good read and you'll learn something.
November 11, 2019
Fascinating, informative, and balanced.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews