At what point to get a sick note.

mrbg07546

I had a car accident and I have a bad back.


I was meant to start work on the tuesday(after the BH) but my back still wasn’t good.

I went to the doctors Thursday and asked for a sick note. They said you have to come in 7 days.

Does this mean tommorow(Monday) is the day I see doctor and get a sick note?

Bath_cube

You will require a form med3 (fit note) after seven continuous days of illness. If less than seven days ask your pracrice reception for a form sc2 which is a self certificate so you can claim SSP. If you were due back at work from last Tuesday that means seven days have passed from tomorrow. Make an appointment with your GP. At my surgery the doctors charge £35 if you need a med3 before the seven days are up. A self cert form sc2 is free.

sangie595

The 7 days self certification starts from the day that you are unfit to work - whether you were due in work or not.

mrbg07546

So I self certify for first 7 days. Then I ask doctors for a note tommorow? Without any charge?

anamenottaken

mrbg07546 wrote: »

I had a car accident and I have a bad back.


I was meant to start work on the tuesday(after the BH) but my back still wasn’t good.

I went to the doctors Thursday and asked for a sick note. They said you have to come in 7 days.

Does this mean tommorow(Monday) is the day I see doctor and get a sick note?

How long have you worked there?

TELLIT01

mrbg07546 wrote: »

So I self certify for first 7 days. Then I ask doctors for a note tommorow? Without any charge?

Correct on all counts.

Savvy_Sue

Just in case it crops up, the GP will not give you a sick note. They will, if they agree that you are not fit to work, give you a Fit Note. They may say that you might be able to work if your employer can meet certain conditions, eg light duties, reduced hours. If your employer cannot accommodate this, then you'd have to remain on sick leave.

TELLIT01

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Just in case it crops up, the GP will not give you a sick note. They will, if they agree that you are not fit to work, give you a Fit Note.

Strictly speaking you are right Savvy_Sue, but how many people actually refer to the certificate provided by the GP as anything other than a sick note?

Bath_cube

I have never had a fit note. The last time I was off ill for more than a week was in 2009 when the old style med3 was still in use. The old one used to state I have examined you (the patient) and certify that you should refrain from work until ( your GP used to write the dates on the form). I have never seen one of these so called fit notes and I don't know why they changed over to these. Under the old system when you were due to or able to return to work your GP gave you a signing off note I think it was a form med5?.

Savvy_Sue

TELLIT01 wrote: »

Strictly speaking you are right Savvy_Sue, but how many people actually refer to the certificate provided by the GP as anything other than a sick note?

Well, me and my manager for starters ... :rotfl:

Bath_cube wrote: »

I have never had a fit note. The last time I was off ill for more than a week was in 2009 when the old style med3 was still in use. The old one used to state I have examined you (the patient) and certify that you should refrain from work until ( your GP used to write the dates on the form). I have never seen one of these so called fit notes and I don't know why they changed over to these. Under the old system when you were due to or able to return to work your GP gave you a signing off note I think it was a form med5?.

The intention is to move away from the GP certifying what you CANNOT do, and in the good old days when you last needed one, the GP could certify that you were sick, or not.

The important change is that the Fit Note says

"I advise you that
you are not fit for work
you may be fit for work taking account of the following advice"

And then there's the options of a phased return, amended duties, altered hours, workplace adaptations, and other comments.

Now, back when I had the brain surgery, my GP did not have any of those options. It was up to me to convince work that if they wanted me back, they'd better allow a phased return, because there was no way on earth I'd ever be fit to go back to a five day week, bang. So I had my sick note, plus a letter from the GP saying I was not ready to return full-time but could go back part-time if they'd have me.

A few years later when I crocked my shoulder, we had Fit Notes. So my first one said "not fit for work" and I was signed off for 8 weeks. After that, I had one which said "may be fit for work" with details of what would be helpful.

Personally, I think the new system is an improvement.