Self Certification Sick / Fit note
If you have been ill for seven days or less, you do not need to see a Doctor. Your employer should ask you to complete a self certification form when you return to work.
A self certification form usually asked details such as
- information about your sickness
- the date your sickness started
- the date your sickness ended
These dates may be days that you don’t normally work. For example your sickness could start or end on a Saturday, Sunday or bank holiday.
Many employers have their own self certification forms. If your employer doesn’t have their own form, they may use an SC2 form from HM Revenue.
You can complete and download a self certification form here.
Sickness of more than seven days
If you have been ill for more than seven days you will need a doctor’s certificate. These certificates are called ‘Fit Notes’ certificates.
The Fit Notes mean your GP can give you advice to help you return to work. This is because work can play an important part in helping people to recover from illness on injury. The GP can either say you are not fit for work, or can say you may be fit for work. The GP will choose the option for may be fit to work if they think that returning to work – with support from your employer – will help you.
There is also space for the GP to give advice to your employer about the impact of your illness or injury and can suggest common ways in which your employer can help you return to work such as allowing you to work part time or temporarily or by changing your duties, for example, if you have back pain, avoiding heavy lifting.
Fit notes are also sometimes called doctor’s notes, sick notes, medical certificates or doctor’s statements.
If you have seen a doctor at the practice regarding the problem you need a medical certificate for (or we have received a letter from the hospital about your sickness) you many not need to see the doctor again. You can request a fit note at reception, who will pass the information to the doctor to review. The doctor may also be able to speak to you on the telephone depending on how well they know you and why you are off work sick.
If you have not seen a doctor at the practice and we have had no information from a medical professional about your illness, you will not be able to get a certificate without an appointment. Please book a routine appointment; urgent appointments are only provided for genuine medical emergencies and not for the purpose of certificates.
In either case there are rules governing the issue of sick certificates and the GP may not be able to supply one, depending on the information you provide.
If you are under the care of a hospital, your certificate may be issued by the hospital, rather than by the practice.
Requesting an additional Sick / Fit Note
If you have already has a Sick Note (Fit Note) for this illness your Doctor may not need to see you to issue an additional sick note. Please speak to the Patient Services Team to request an additional sick note.