It is not necessary to obtain a sick note from a Doctor unless you have been absent from work for more than 5 days ( i.e. one working week)

The first 5 days

For your first 5 days of sickness you can self certify.

This means you can either write a letter to your employer or, if you prefer, there is a form you can collect from the receptionist at your local Doctors surgery. Complete the form and hand it to your employer. The form is called a Statutary Sick Pay Form or Employees Statement Of Sickness (form SC2)

After one week

Once you have been off sick for more than 1 week, you can obtain a sick note from a doctor.

This can often be done by a telephone consultation with your own doctor, who may be able to issue a certificate without you needing to be seen. Or, if it is a continuing problem, a telephone consultation from the Doctor who saw you previously for the condition, again there may be no need for you to be seen in person.

If you have been in Hospital, a sick note can either be issued by the Hospital Doctor or by a telephone consultation with your own Doctor, who will have been informed by the Hospital of your visit. It is not normally necessary for the Doctor to see you in person.

If you have not been seen by a doctor before for the current problem, and it is not a continuing condition, it may be necessary for you to be seen by a doctor in person at the surgery.

Back dating

It is routine policy for a sick note to be back dated, so you do not need to be seen urgently, or on the day that your sick note expires, or is due to be issued. It can be issued at a later date and backdated, at the doctors discretion, to the required date.

All sick notes will have an illness or relevant condition stated and a length of time the sick note is covering. Sick notes can be collected from Reception at your convenience