If you’ve been off sick for more than 7 days
The NHS provides sickness certification only after seven continuous days of illness.
To request a sick note:
- use PATCHS
Please visit the Direct Gov website for full information about fitness for work following a period of sickness. After this period a NHS certificate may be issued but you will need to contact the surgery as it may be necessary to discuss your request with your GP.
You do not need to see your GP again to be ‘signed back to work’.
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. If you need a sick note to cover this period of sickness you should complete a Self Certification (SC2) form which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.
Find out more about sick notes on the NHS website.