If you’ve been off sick for more than 7 days

If you are off work due to illness for more than 7 consecutive days, your employer will usually require a Fit Note (also known as a Statement of Fitness for Work). Fit Notes are sometimes referred to as medical certificates, doctor's notes, or sick notes.

If you have already discussed your condition with us

If you have recently seen a GP at the practice regarding the condition for which you require a Fit Note, or if we have received relevant information from a hospital or another healthcare professional, you may not need a further appointment. In some cases, a GP may be able to assess your request over the telephone, depending on your circumstances and medical history.

If we have not assessed your condition

If you have not previously consulted a GP at the practice about your illness and we have not received any supporting information from another healthcare professional, you will need an appointment before a Fit Note can be issued.

How to request a Fit Note

To request a Fit Note, please submit an administrative request through AccuRx Online Patient Triage.

Sick/Fit notes can only be issued when they are due. They may be backdated where clinically appropriate but cannot be issued for future dates. Please do not request an appointment solely for a Fit note. Urgent appointments are reserved for medical emergencies.

If you’ve been off sick for 7 days 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. We call this self-certification.

Find out more about sick notes on the NHS website.