Sick Notes

Your employer cannot ask you to provide an official sick note for the first 7 days that you are sick. They may ask you to fill in a self-certificate of their own or form SC2 which you can get from the surgery or website http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/sc2.pdf

If your employer demands a sick note for the first 5 working days your doctor may provide a private sick note for which there is a charge. You will need a doctor's appointment to obtain this.

If you think you are going to be off for more than 7 days then make an appointment with your GP for a MED3 sick note.

If you have attended hospital or had an operation, please ask the hospital doctor or ward sister to give you a sick note. They are obliged to issue notes while you remain under their care. If, for example, you have a broken leg they should issue a sick note until your next out-patient review.

If you forget to get a note from the hospital the GP may be able to issue a Med5 sick note without having to see you once he has received written confirmation from the hospital of your incapacity. If needed, please ask the receptionist to find out if this is possible. A Med5 can only be issued for one month maximum so you will need to follow it up with an appointment before the sick note runs out.

Open sick note

If your note indicates "for x days or weeks" this is an open note and you will need to see the doctor again at the end of this period for a continuation note or a final note.

Final sick note

If your note indicates "until xx/dd/yy" this means you can go back to work on this date. A final note cannot be issued more than 2 weeks before you go back to work. If you are not fit to return to work on this date you will need to see the doctor again for a continuation open note or another final note.

Med4

For more information go to the DWP website (formerly Department of Social Security or DSS)
http://www.dwp.gov.uk

or enquire at your local job centre plus office
http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Aboutus/Ouroffices/index.html