Medical certificates
Doctors at the practice under the National Health Service Acts and the Social Security Acts issue free of charge a form Med 3 (Statement of Fitness for Work) to patients for whom they provide clinical care. Other doctors are also required to issue Medical Statements, where appropriate, to patients for whom they provide clinical care.
How do I get a sick note?
Sick notes are now referred to as ‘fitness for work’ certificate. Many consultations are taken up by patients coming to see the Doctor for a ‘fitness for work’ certificatewhen they don't actually need one! There are strict guidelines that Doctors have to follow when issuing ‘fitness for work’ certificate. The government have tried to ease the burden on GPs time by requesting that hospital doctors provide certificates for patients who are currently in hospital.
You only need a fitness-for-work certificate if you are ill and are unable to work for seven calendar days or longer. Your employer will provide you with an SC2 self- certificate form for shorter periods of illness or alternatively click here to download the SC2 form. To claim Incapacity Benefit you can download the SC1(to be used by unemployed or self employed person) form by clicking here.
SC2 – Click the link below to download the SC2 form:
SC1 – Click the link below to download the SC1 form ( long document):
If your employer insists on a certificate within the first seven days, your doctor may issue a private sickness certificate for which there will be a charge.
Your doctor is only able to issue a certificate if he/she is able to ascertain that you have been ill or if they have appropriate documentary evidence from another health professional of your incapacity. Without such evidence of incapacity they will be unable to issue any form of Fitness-for-work certification.
For more information, visit the DWP website at Department for Work and Pensions
Duration of Illness: / Details:Less Than 3 days / Your employer should not require a sick note
Between 3 and 7 days / You should hand in a "self certificate" (SC1). You do not need to see the Doctor for this.You can download a copy from the link below
More than 7 days / You will need a "Med 3" fitness for work certificate. You must see the Doctor to get one.
The following notes summarise the rules for issuing Med 3:
- Med 3 can only be issued by a doctor.
- Doctor is not required to issue a Med 3 for periods of sickness absence lasting 7 calendar days or less.
- Med 3 is based on an assessment of your medical condition and can be given on the date of the assessment or any date after the date of the assessment.
- An assessment means either a face to face consultation or by telephone, or a consideration of a written report by another doctor or other registered healthcare professional.
Statement of Fitness for Work: There are two options
- You are not fit for work- unable to work for the specified period due to illness and return to work at the end of this period. You may or may not need an assessment for fitness for work at the end of this period (stated at the bottom of the certificate).
- You may be fit for work taking account of the following advice- this is considered when patient may benefit further from one or more of the workplace adjustments or adaptations.
Hospital out-patients
The duty to provide a Med3 generally rests with the hospital doctor.
Hospital in-patient
Form Med 10 should continue to be issued by the hospital doctor to cover any period that a patient is in hospital. On discharge from hospital the doctor who has clinical responsibility for the patient should provide them, if appropriate, with Med 3 to cover a forward period. This is to avoid unnecessary visit to GPs solely for the purpose of sickness certification.