If you are off work sick for seven days or less, your employer should not ask you for a sick note. You will need a sick note if you are off work sick for more than seven calendar days, this includes days that you don't normally work so when you work out how long you've been off sick, you should include weekends and bank holidays.

If employees are off work for 7 days or less, they do not need to give their employer a fit note or other proof of sickness from a healthcare professional.

When they return to work, their employer can ask them to confirm they’ve been off sick. This is called ‘self-certification’. The employer and employee will agree on how the employee should do this. They might need to fill in a form or send details of their sick leave by email.

Self-certification forms usually include details such as:

• information about your sickness or illness
• 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, instead they may use an SC2 form from HM Revenue & Customs Employee's Statement of Sickness which can be downloaded below or alternatively a copy can be obtained from the surgery.

Download a template self certifcation form

If you are sick and off work for more than seven days, your employer will normally ask you to provide a medical certificate from your GP.

When you need a certificate, often referred to as called a sick note or fit note, will also depend on your employer's company policy on sick leave (or sickness absence). This policy should tell you how many days you can be off sick before you need a note.

To find out about your employer's policy:

• ask your team leader or supervisor, or
• speak to someone from your human resources (HR) or personnel department

Sikc notes are also called doctor's notes, fit notes, medical certificates, or doctor's statements.

Sick notes are now digitally signed by the clinician that issued it. The sick note can either say you are not fit for work, or can say you may be fit for work. The GP will choose the option of may be fit to work, with your agreement, if they think that returning to work – with support from your employer – will help you. 

If required, we would recommend discussing your return to work with your employer before you discuss it with the GP. Some employers may be able to offer a phased return on reduced hours or with lighter duties whereas for some employers this may not be possible.  

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 sick note without an appointment. Please book a routine appointment; urgent appointments are only provided for genuine medical emergencies and not for the purpose of sick notes.

Once you have seen a doctor at the practice regarding the problem you need a sick note for (or we have received a letter from the hospital about your sickness) you may not need to see the doctor again. You can request a continuation of a sick note via Engage Consult which will be passed to the doctor to review. Alternatively please contact us via telephone to request a sick note. Please tell us the dates which you feel you need the time off sick so the Doctor can issue it for the correct timeframe.

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 sick note may be issued by the hospital, rather than by the practice.

There is usually no charge for providing a sick note if you are off sick for more than seven days.

Some employers may request a sick note (e.g. from employees who repeatedly take time off sick) even if they are off work for seven days or less. This is a private non-NHS medical certificate.

For sickness of seven days or less, a charge of £20 is payable in order for us to provide a certificate.

If your sick note runs out, but you are still sick, you can request a further note without the need to see a Doctor. Ideally this should be done via Engage consult but if this is not possible, please call the surgery to book into our sick note surgery. 

Sick notes can be back-dated so please do not make an emergency appointment to renew your certificate. If you book an emergency appointment for the purpose of getting a medical certificate you will be asked to rebook.

Please note, we do not forward date sick notes so we can't issue a continuation until your previous one has run out.