Electronically generated form Med 3 medical statements
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is running a pilot to assess the use of electronically generated medical statements (form Med 3) as an alternative to the handwritten version that is currently used.
Which employers are covered by the pilot?
The pilot will involve approximately 20 GP practices in Wales. Only employers with employees registered at those practices will potentially be affected by the pilot. These employers may receive pilot electronically generated form Med 3s from their employees between July and the end of March 2009.
What do affected employers need to do?
If you receive one of the pilot Med 3 medical statements, you do not need to do anything differently from usual. The pilot Med 3 forms are just as valid for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) purposes as the current handwritten ones.
What does the pilot form Med 3 look like?
The pilot version of form Med 3 is very similar to the current version. Here are some key points to note:
- it is printed on one side of an A4 sheet of paper
- there is a 2D barcode next to the name and address of the doctor
- information will have been typed onto the form rather than handwritten
- the form will be signed by the employee’s GP
- there are two versions of the pilot form, one in English and one in Welsh
There is a picture of a sample English language version of the pilot form below. This is provided for illustrative purposes only.
Background to the pilot
The DWP pilot forms part of work that is currently under way on the medical evidence that’s available to employers.
It also feeds into the government’s response to the report of Dame Carol Black on the health of the working-age population.
The pilot runs from July to November and will conclude with the publication of a report at the end of the year. Any further actions or developments will then be considered.
If you have any views or comments on the pilot form Med 3 medical statement, you can provide feedback to DWP using this email address.
