B.C. moves to scrap mandatory doctors notes for minor illnesses [Video]

British Columbians who come down with a cold or other minor illness won’t need to show a doctor’s note to their employer, if new provincial legislation is approved.

B.C. Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside and Health Minister Josie Osborne unveiled the legislation Tuesday, saying it will free doctors up from needless paperwork, while preventing sick people from spreading their illness just to get a sick note.

“That person has to go to a clinic while they are sick, potentially contagious, where they interact with other people in the clinic and they risk spreading the infection they have — and instead of seeing a patient they can actually treat, the health provider uses that appointment time to tick a box on a form or to write a cursory note for somebody who doesn’t actually require a clinical intervention,” Whiteside said.

“So with the passing of Bill 11, we will be able to save doctors in this province thousands of hours of important time …