How much info does a sick note give?

[Sandcaaarstle]

I think I might need to get a sick note as I’m in pain and struggling to sit down thanks to menopause deciding I hadn’t had enough fun yet and giving me the gift of piles. Been to GP and may need further hospital treatment.

My workplace is toxic. Bitchy, judgmental and very very gossipy. I know it’s a very natural condition, etc etc, but would a sick note actually tell my line manager that I had haemorrhoids or would it just say unfit for work?

It would be round the office faster than a dose of salts if they found this out.

There is space for a reason. I have had kidney stones and utis and mine jut says urinary issues. You could ask for them to write ‘unmanageable pain’?

Thanks @Haggisfish3 so it would be for me to ask the GP what to write? They’re pretty good tbf, so I don’t think they’d have a problem with that. I’d didn’t know if work had to know, from a HR point of view.

Your manager / HR shouldn’t be telling anyone what is on your sick note. That’s really unprofessional.

Absolutely this! They could get sacked for gossiping about confidential information.
ask your GP to write something vague as you don’t want them to know any details

Came on to say that your manager shouldn’t tell anyone. It is your private and personal information.
Is your workplace big enough for HR, cos I would ask their advice about what happens if you call in sick and everyone you work with knows two mins after you have called.
And ask GP to say something neutral, like pain, or unable to concentrate due to poor sleep, or similar.

I have to request sick notes via an online form so I would put in the addition info bit about wanting reason to be vague to prevent confidential info being passed around at works

My recent health issues have been related to mental health (all ultimately caused by perimenopausal problems) and my GP has been very sensitive to this and asked me how I’d like him to phrase the reason on my sick note. I’m lucky that my work is very supportive but elsewhere I would have asked for something vague and anodyne, and it would have been supported by him.

It is up to the GP how they complete the form but they do have to inciude the reason. My experience is also however that they are prepared to be tactful in the wording. I’ve been signed off after a miscarriage with the reason given “bereavement” for example

I've been signed off for a couple of things recently. Every GP I saw for both things confirmed with me what I was comfortable with the certificate saying.

I've been signed off a couple times with rheumatoid arthritis. The first question my GP ALWAYS askes is "what do you want on the sick note? Pain? Joint swelling? Or diagnosis?

It's absolutely within reason to say to the GP "Look, it's not something I want work to necessarily know, so could you please be vauge?"

P.s... hope it gets better!

I was annoyed years about when mine made a value reference to back pain when he knew full well I’d slipped 2 bloody discs!
I’ve had back pain every day since and I manage to work through it, back pain seemed to really minimise what it was 😂

Im sure you can ask your gp to be tactful although no one other than HR (and possibly your direct line manager) should see it and it’s confidential information not for sharing so no one should ever find out anyway.
Hope your symptoms ease soon 🌺

Thanks everyone, this is very reassuring!

I’m well aware of how unprofessional it is but unfortunately that’s just the way it is. I could go to HR but I’d honestly rather my line manager doesn’t find out in the first place! I’m sure my GP will be sympathetic if that’s an option.

Really appreciate all your replies!