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Sickness absence certificate in
primary health care in Bahrain is it problem?
Issuing sick
notes is one of the core tasks of General Practice and
yet little research has explored how doctors decide
whether or not to offer a sick note. Sickness absence the right for
every employee. Sick notes is complex issue as it is a
multi-factorial aetiology and has a vital impact on economics
In Bahrain
like any other country the primary care physicians are overloaded by
clients who attend seeking sick notes because the regulation ask the
employee when he is absent from work to show a sick note signed by
licensed and authorised physician.
The primary
care physicians are blamed for over issuing sick notes and these are
considered by the employer unjustified sick note and affecting the
economics negatively
In Bahrain we
have 22 health centres distributed along the Islands and providing
primary health care services for Bahraini and non Bahraini. For non
Bahrain workers there is one health centre (ALRAZI H.C) providing
primary health care services and pre-placement health check
The
statistics for 2007 shows that health centres has issued 469883 sick
notes . AlRAZI has the highest rate among other 21 H.C
More than
153000 expats workers are registered in ALRAZI health centre.
136.676 patients attended in 2008 which is almost each worker have
visited the H.C only one time?
78% of the
sick notes issued for one day, 19% for two days and less than one
percent for three days or more .there was no much different
throughout the year or throughout the week. The most common reason
for three days or more was occupational injury
An interview
was made for 1271 clients of which (10% ) doctors , ( 15%) human
resource and (75% ) patients.
Every
category were asked only one question related to sickness absence
Doctors . do
you have clear guidelines to issue sickness absence certificates?.
88% said no
Human
resource. Do you have sickness absence policy in your organization?.
96% said no
Clients
(patients). Is it easy to get a sickness absence certificates? .
67% said no
In conclusion
Sickness absence is a complex
issue involves many parts but the responsibility for controlling and
managing it rests mainly on managers, and physician’s role is to
provide independent, impartial advice on individual cases
Health promotion wellness
program are better practice in reducing sickness absenteeism
Look at sickness presenters
equal to sickness absenteeism
Dr.Abdull a AlMansoor |
