Sick notes
Sick-notes are a legal document, and declare one unfit to work. You can write your own! They cannot be backdated (special forms are required)
Do you need a doctor's certificate in the first seven days of an illness?
No. Illnesses that last less than one week are usually minor and self-limiting and you may not require a visit to a doctor. It can be difficult for your doctor to judge whether or not you are incapable of reporting for work in this situation, and all the certificate really indicates is that you attended the surgery on a specific date complaining that you had a minor illness.
In general, the Departments of Health and of Social Security, employers, and doctors do not recommend that you attend your doctor for sickness certification alone. Your GP is only required to issue a certificate if your absence from work through sickness lasts more than seven days.
What do you need?
For the first four days of any illness you do not require any form of certification. It is for you to decide if you are fit for work.
For the next three days (including Saturdays and Sundays) you must fill in a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer.
After the first seven days you will need a doctor's certificate, and will have to attend the doctor to get a Department of Social Security sicknote.
What are private sicknotes and do you need one?
Some employers or insurance schemes will ask you to provide a private sicknote to cover for first 7 days, but as this just their preference, you don't legally have to oblige. As this would be an unnecessary use of NHS time, the surgery will charge you a fee to provide a private 'sicknote' (£10 presently).
- SC2 - Patient self-certification special form
- Med3 - The standard (cannot be back-dated)
- Med4 - Note for Social Security (with extra information)
- Med5 - Note if backdated (for a very important reason only)
- Med6 - Notice of special diagnosis
- RM7 - Dr's request for a 2nd opinion
Bottom Line
Sicknotes are usually not necessary for the 1st week of any illness!
This is one of a number of Patient Information Leaflets available from the Becher's Brook Surgery.