ETC claims abuse in sickness certificates

The Employment and Training Corporation has come across several cases of what it believes to be "abusive" sickness certificates issued by some doctors to people registering as unemployed.

Sources close to the ETC yesterday told The Times the corporation was trying to establish the extent of the problem.

"We are not saying the abuse is rampant because we are still building our database.

"However, it is evident that the abuse is there and we are considering taking certain measures according to law.

"When the abuse is clear, the corporation is refusing the medical certificates submitted by the registrant to cover his/her period of 'sickness'.

"In this way the registrant loses his/her job seeking priority and loses the right for social benefits for the period covered by the abusive medical certificate," the sources said.

The corporation has compiled information on a number of cases in which sickness certificates were issued to persons registering under part 1 of the system, which entitles them to social benefits.

"We are not saying that all sickness certificates are abusive. Far from it. But there are cases where the abuse is clear.

"For instance, on one occasion the sickness certificate was issued on the same day that an unemployed person left the country. We know for sure this is the case because we even checked the passport date."

A controversy erupted last month after The Times quoted social policy ministry sources saying the government had sent "warning letters" to 200 doctors for issuing an excessive number of sickness certificates to certain patients for the same condition.

The sources had said the practice was revealed in an exercise carried out by the ministry. One particular doctor was found to have issued more than 3,500 sickness certificates in eight months.

That news item had led to a strong statement by the Medical Association of Malta in which it categorically denied that doctors were abusing the sick certificate system.

The association had condemned the "leaks of misleading data", saying the item not only put the medical profession in a bad light but also embarrassed the government unnecessarily.

MAM said it had contributed to improvements of the sick leave certification system and in closing possible loopholes.

A few days ago the association reaffirmed its position, publishing a study carried out by family physician Jean Karl Soler purporting to show there was absolutely no rampant abuse of sickness certification by local workers and doctors.