If you have been ill for more than 7 days you will need a doctor’s certificate. These certificates are called ‘Fitness To Work’ Certificates.

The doctor may call you or arrange for an appointment.

If you have already been seen by your Doctor about this illness your certificate will be sent to you within a week.

“Fit notes” Were introduced in 2010 to replace the old sick note.

These were developed to help you and your employer identify suitable working arrangements (including not be able to work at all) with medical evidence from your GP or hospital doctor.

For the first seven calendar days of any absence, you do not need a “fit note” and can self-certify. We will therefore not issue fit notes for this period.

In order for us to provide a fit note, we need to assess your fitness to work. This can be via phone, video consultation or face to face appointment. We can use discharge summaries, out of hours or A&E reports to help.

We cannot provide a fit not without assessing you. Please do not request a fit note via our website if you have not been assessed by a healthcare professional. Please see the specific wording of the guidance below.

We can extend a fit note via a request on our website.

“You can issue a fit note on the day that you assess your patient; or on any day afterwards. The fit note should be completed as follows: The date on which you assessed your patient. This can be via: a face-to-face or telephone consultation; or consideration of a written report from another doctor or healthcare professional (for example, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists).”

When requesting a note on our online system, please provide the dates you wish to cover and if you would like us to print or text (using our secure texting system), and which site you wish to pick up from.