A physician advocacy group is emphasizing the potential benefits for Manitoba’s healthcare system if employers stop requiring sick notes from their employees, allowing physicians to focus more on patient care and less on paperwork. According to Doctors Manitoba president Dr. Nichelle Desilets, eliminating the need for sick notes in cases of short-term illnesses could free up the equivalent of 50 doctors or provide an additional 300,000 patient appointments annually in Manitoba.
Dr. Desilets expressed concerns about the impact of sick notes on patient care, highlighting that Manitoba currently faces one of the most severe doctor shortages in the country. She mentioned that over 600,000 sick notes are requested each year in Manitoba, with a significant portion being unnecessary from a medical standpoint, costing taxpayers approximately $8 million annually.
The “Sick of Sick Notes” campaign, initiated by Doctors Manitoba, aims to reduce administrative burdens and create a more doctor-friendly environment in Manitoba. The campaign includes a website offering guidance for employers dealing with short-term employee absences.
In a bid to streamline processes and enhance workplace culture, the campaign challenges the existing system by illustrating employees sharing personal health details with human resources, questioning the practice of burdening doctors with non-medical issues. Similar initiatives have been launched by other Canadian physician advocacy groups.
Earlier this year, Doctors Manitoba recommended legislative changes to limit sick note requirements for short-term employee absences to under 10 days, aligning Manitoba with other provinces’ practices. Various provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, and Saskatchewan have implemented or are considering similar regulations to minimize the demand for sick notes.
Dr. Desilets stressed the importance of creating a trusting workplace culture through standardized approaches for handling employee accommodations, return-to-work requests, and recurring illnesses. Human resources expert Tory McNally supported the campaign, noting that removing routine sick notes fosters trust and accountability in the workplace, while reducing administrative burdens and healthcare system pressures.
Several organizations, including the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority, and Canada Life, have already discontinued the requirement for sick notes for short-term illnesses. The NDP government has responded to previous calls from Doctors Manitoba to reduce paperwork for physicians, committing to transition from paper medical records to digital documents.
The advocacy group’s efforts aim to highlight the impact of sick notes on the healthcare system and urge employers to reconsider the necessity of sick notes for short-term absences.