The sick-note season opens
Published: 03 January 2008

Something medically miraculous happens in the lull between Christmas and New Year: all ongoing health problems vanish. Suddenly, the waiting room is devoid of dodgy blood pressures, joints and bowels. Ditto migraine, PMT, asthma and just about any long-term health issue you care to mention. Why? Simple. You’re too busy with Christmas and New Year. But the lure of the waiting room proves irresistible to another group but not because the annually promised flu epidemic has suddenly materialised. No. The queue now forming outside consulting room doors wants what it’s always after at this time of year - a sickie. So it’s off to your GP to get your seasonal indolence disorder medically validated.

The Times