Additional Services 

You do not require a doctor’s sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

 

For your first 7 days of sickness you can self certify. This means you can either write a letter to your employer or complete a Statutary Sick Pay Form or Employees Statement Of Sickness (form SC2)

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• An SC2 self-certification form (SC1 for unemployed or self-employed) is used by an employee to provide their employer with details of sick absences of 4 or more days in a row. The completed SC2 form is then used to help decide whether or not the employee is entitled to receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

• GPs are not obliged to issue NHS medical certificates (Fit Notes) for periods of sickness of less than seven days’ duration. However, if a patient requires a short-term certificate, the GP is entitled to charge a fee. However, it is clearly not an appropriate use of NHS time to see patients for no other purpose than to provide a sick certificate.

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Click on this link to find out more http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/Sicknessabsence/DG_187161

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Download a Self Certification SC2 form here SC2_Self_Certification_Form.pdf OR you may complete a form online here

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Evidence that you are sick

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If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

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It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a ‘Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

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You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

 

Statement of Fitness for Work – ’Fit Note’

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The ‘fit note’ was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer’s support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

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For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)

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Renewal of Sick Note 

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To renew a Sick Note, please contact the surgery and speak to one of our receptionists. They will take some details off you and then pass on the request to the doctor. Please allow 48 hours for the Sick Note request to be completed and please note, a Sick Note cannot be post-dated. 

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