Sick Notes

If you've been off sick for seven days or less

If you’re off work sick for 7 days or less, your employer should not ask for medical evidence that you’ve been ill. Instead, they can ask you to confirm that you’ve been ill.

You can do this by filling in a form yourself when you return to work. We call this self-certification.

 

Find out more about sick notes on the NHS website.

If you've been off sick for more than seven days

  • Use an online form to request a sick (fit) note. This service, known as eConsult, is available Monday to Friday, 8am to 2pm. We respond before the end of the next working day or sooner when we are open.
  • Phone us Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 13:30pm or 3:30pm to 6.30pm.
  • Visit the surgery and speak with a receptionist when we are open.

If your sick (fit) note has expired

You should go back to work as soon as you feel able to.

You do not need to see a healthcare professional again to go back to work. Your employer may ask for confirmation that you’re fit for work, but healthcare professionals do not have to provide this.

 

If you are not well enough to return to work you can ask the GP to provide another sick (fit) note.

The GP may need to speak to you or examine you to assess how long you require to be signed off for. To request this from the GP you can: 

 

  • Use an online form to request a sick (fit) note. This service, known as eConsult, is available Monday to Friday, 8am to 2pm. We respond before the end of the next working day or sooner when we are open.
  • Phone us Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 13:30pm or 3:30pm to 6.30pm.
  • Visit the surgery and speak with a receptionist when we are open.