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Over 30% of fit notes issued due to poor mental health

A new NHS Digital report has said that nearly a third of all fit notes are issued to workers because of their poor mental health. According to the report (which evaluated 12 million fit notes issued across England over a 28-month period), there was a 14% increase in the number of fit notes issued due to stress or anxiety-related illnesses between 2015-2016 and 2016-2017, while behavioural and mental health conditions accounted for 31% of all fit notes issued in the last three years. Fit notes issued for psychiatric conditions tended to be for a longer period than those issued for other illnesses, with 21.5% of fit notes for mental and behavioural illnesses being for more than 12 weeks.