Britain Targeting Bogus Sick Claims

British officials are to convene next week to discuss rule changes that could reduce false long-term illness claims by employees.

Primarily aimed at limiting the number of employees using minor medical conditions to obtain long-term illness benefits, the proposed changes would include increased monitoring of patients’ lives by doctors, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.

By monitoring lifestyle factors of an employee making an illness claim, doctors should be able to limit the financial and emotional factors that can cause a minor illness to become a long-term problem.

Dame Carol Black, national director of health and work, is spearheading the employment effort and has already drawn criticism from some British doctors.

Those physicians allege such police efforts could jeopardize the doctor-patient relationship, the Telegraph said.

Equally controversial is the proposed focus by the government on single parents or the children of unemployed individuals, the British newspaper added.