Med3 Fit/Sick Notes

Fit/Sick Notes

A fit note is the informal name for the Statement of Fitness to Work. Fit notes replaced sick notes from 6 April 2010.

The rules on fit/sick notes:

• For the first 3 days of an illness your employer does not legally require any fit/sick notes.
• For days 4, 5, 6 & 7 you can give your employers a ‘Self-Certificate‘ fit/sick note. This is a form you complete and does not require a doctor’s opinion.
• For any illness over 7 days you will need a doctor’s note.

If your employer wants a doctor’s note for a period of illness less than a week we are not obliged to issue any certificate. 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 (PDF). In special circumstances we can issue a private sick note but this will incur a fee.

For illnesses and injuries which have involved the hospital or A&E (such as a broken bone) we are able to use consultant letters as proof of illness and can in many cases safely give you a sick note without you having to come into the surgery. The hospital wards and A&E can issue you with a fit/sick note if you ask them at the time.

If you have a long term illness we are often able to do a fit/sick note from your records without you having to come into the surgery to be seen.