Sick note

Fireflyaway

Does anyone know what a genuine sick note looks like? I was shown one today that looks photocopied and had no doctors name, just a squiggle for a signature.
I'm unsure if the surgery would discuss with me due to confidentiality so wondered how I can check if its real? It looks like something you could get off the internet.

Masomnia

You can send a copy of it to the Dr and ask if it is legit.

TELLIT01

A squiggle for a signature is normal for a doctor! The certificate must also have the surgery stamp on it. The surgery will almost certainly not discuss it with you over the phone, but if you speak to them about your doubts and then return the cert to the surgery they will confirm whether or not it is genuine.

mr_munchem

A legitimate one looks like this: http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/sample%20sicknote.jpg, though some surgeries use their own template.

sangie595

Fireflyaway wrote: »

Does anyone know what a genuine sick note looks like? I was shown one today that looks photocopied and had no doctors name, just a squiggle for a signature.
I'm unsure if the surgery would discuss with me due to confidentiality so wondered how I can check if its real? It looks like something you could get off the internet.

There's also another easy solution. The provision of an available fit note is the employees. And yes, actually not only can you get them on the internet, but you can get good ones on the internet. Contrary to popular belief, an employer is entitled to question or reject a fit note - and b sick pay. Tell the employee that their for now is not acceptable, and doesn't provide surgery details or other information, so you won't be paying them until an acceptable one is provided. And if you have access to OH - require an OH referral and for them to contact the doctor for confirmation of their diagnosis. The employee has to agree to let them - but if they refuse, then that gives you further grounds to suspend sick pay until you are satisfied the fit note is valid

Fireflyaway

Thanks all. It looked like the one above but photocopied rather than original looking. I suppose they are probably printed rather than torn off a pad these days! I agree squiggle is probably normal but the name wasn't written and the doctors address was typed in rather than stamped on. Maybe I'm too suspicious but it looked like anyone could have faked it.

demiruss

Fireflyaway wrote: »

Thanks all. It looked like the one above but photocopied rather than original looking. I suppose they are probably printed rather than torn off a pad these days! I agree squiggle is probably normal but the name wasn't written and the doctors address was typed in rather than stamped on. Maybe I'm too suspicious but it looked like anyone could have faked it.

That's also the norm for a lot of GP practices, those stamps have legs. Maybe they passed you a copy and that's why it looked photocopied? I've seen some shocking letters from GPs that looked fake and cost ££'s.

clairec79

Mine from the GP was all printed off from the computer and squiggled in the signature box, no GP stamp on there, that was pre filled in on the computer

inglorius

Fireflyaway wrote: »

Does anyone know what a genuine sick note looks like? I was shown one today that looks photocopied and had no doctors name, just a squiggle for a signature.
I'm unsure if the surgery would discuss with me due to confidentiality so wondered how I can check if its real? It looks like something you could get off the internet.

If its got a signature that looks like a coiled of barbed wire it must be genuine

aife

I've been off sick recently , and my sick notes are printed forms with an incomprehensible squiggle and surgery details typed in.
I've no idea whether your employee is genuine or not but I don't think what you're referring to here is valid cause for suspicion.
Personally I always make a copy of my sick note before I post it and I think I could easily post the wrong one as you can't really tell them apart