When do I need a fit note?
7 days off sick 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. This is called self-certification.
More than 7 days off sick
If you’re off work sick for more than 7 days, your employer will usually ask for a fit note (or Statement of Fitness for Work) from a healthcare professional. Fit notes are sometimes referred to as medical statements or doctor’s notes.
How to count sick days
When you work out the number of days that you’ve been sick, you need to count all the days in a row you’ve been sick, including days you do not usually work, such as weekends and bank holidays.
How can I get a fit note?
If you need a fit note and haven’t seen the practice regarding your health condition this will require an appointment which you can request via patchs. If you require a sicknote extension for an existing condition which we have already issued a sick note, please complete a patchs with the length of extension required and how you would like this to be sent i.e collect in person, email etc. Please allow 2 weeks for this to be completed.
Charges for fit notes
There is never a charge from a healthcare professional for providing a fit note if you’re off sick from work for more than 7 days.
For sickness of 7 days or less, your GP practice may charge you to provide a private medical certificate.
For example, some employers may request medical evidence from employees who repeatedly take time off sick, even if each time they’re off work it’s for 7 days or less. A fit note cannot be used for this purpose and a healthcare professional may charge to issue a private certificate.