Suspended UK Doctor Sells Thousands of Online Sick Notes

Dr. Asif Munaf, a suspended doctor and former Apprentice star, is running Dr Sick Ltd, a company that sells sick notes online for as little as £29 without face-to-face consultations. Investigations revealed that customers could obtain notes for extended time off work for Covid, anxiety over a sick pet, or to work from home for a holiday, with approvals granted within hours and no verification required. Munaf defends the business as an ICO-registered digital service staffed by fully GMC-registered doctors, though he himself is not allowed to practice medicine due to his suspension linked to anti-Semitic social media posts. The controversy highlights wider concerns about Britain's rising sick note culture, which saw an 11% increase in sick days over the past decade and has prompted calls for reform, including stripping GPs of the power to sign people off work. Critics, including shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately, condemn Dr Sick Ltd as symptomatic of deeper welfare system issues, emphasizing that easy access to sick notes may create dependency and harm productivity. The case has reignited debates over the fit note system and welfare reforms amid growing scrutiny from health regulators.