Evaluation of online learning module about sickness certification for general practitioners (Department of Work and Pensions Research Report No 304)

This report describes an evaluation of the first online learning module on the Department for Work and Pensions Corporate Medical Group (CMG) website, 'Sickness Certification Made Easy' covering medical certification.

The module was prompted by the Government's Green Paper 'Pathways to Work' (DWP 2002), part of the Welfare to Work strategy, which outlined plans to provide better support and incentives to return to work for people with health problems or disabilities. The specific aims of the evaluation were to assess attitudes to, and experience of using the module and supporting materials, to identify areas for improvement, and to gather opinions on effective ways of promoting the tools and encouraging general practitioners to use them.

20 face-to-face interviews were carried out with doctors who had used the module. Interviews were taped, transcribed and fully analysed. The report describes the findings and makes a number of recommendations based on the evaluation.