Sick notes place an unnecessary administrative burden on family doctors, taking valuable time away from direct patient care in an already overburdened healthcare system. Administrative tasks like sick notes make up about 30 per cent of a family doctor’s workload, according to the BC College of Family Physicians. This burden is one of the key issues affecting family doctor capacity, affirmed in our member survey.
Sick notes also create unnecessary strain on the health care system. The Canadian Medical Association estimates that eliminating unnecessary sick notes could prevent up to 12.5 million unnecessary interactions with the health care system each year across Canada. This change would free up doctors’ time and improve access for patients with health concerns.
Making employees get sick notes for minor illnesses isn’t just a waste of time—it’s an equity issue. For some workers, getting a sick note means losing wages, finding childcare or overcoming transportation barriers.
Other provinces are already making progress. Nova Scotia passed legislation in 2023 to restrict sick notes for minor illnesses, setting an example for how this can be done. Ontario and Quebec are also considering similar measures to reduce administrative burdens and improve healthcare efficiency, and Saskatchewan has also taken steps to limit sick notes.
BC Family Doctors has been advocating to eliminate sick notes for short-term illnesses. We’ve highlighted how this simple change could free up more time for patient care and reduce strain on the healthcare system. We are encouraged by Premier Eby’s commitment to reducing sick notes during in the recent election.
We recommend that the BC government move forward quickly with legislation to restrict employers and educational institutions from requiring sick notes for short-term minor illnesses.
It’s time to let doctors focus on what they do best—caring for patients.