to want a sick note?

[Needadvicetoleave]

Started with a 'cold' last Monday. Went to work Monday - Wednesday but Thursday it was very clear I was quite unwell and no amount of paracetamol, ibuprofen and throat spray was gong to get me by and I took a sick day. I was off Friday, went in Monday but got sent home and stayed off Tuesday and Wednesday. I honestly thought it was 'just' a cold hence a) going in to work and b) not seeing a GP.

Saw a GP today and yes, it is a cold, cough and possible sinus infection. As I have been off for a week now, I need a sick note. I'm still really unwell and I work with vulnerable (as in sick and immunocompromised) adults and whilst last week I was on a course, this week I'm supposed to be seeing clients - not a good idea with how sick I am.

The GP has refused me a sick note. So I've gone in to work. My manager doesn't want me here as it is clear I am unwell, I can do no real work and I risk infecting others, but at the same time, she can't send me home as policy is 1 week self certified then a doctors note is needed, if I don't get one I'll get a disciplinary!

I just don't know what to do.

AIBU to be annoyed at the GP?

The GP deems you fir for work, go to work. Your manager can go through the palava of sending you home. Although most GPs wil lwrite a note, even if its a private sick note that costs £30 quid

Splinterz trust me, I'm not fit for work. I can't make a phone call as talking causes a coughing fit and I bring up globs of browny-green gloop, I'm surrounded by used tissues, my nose is bleeding from how much I'm blowing it, the bottom is crusty and broken and bleeding, my eyes are red and swollen and crusty.

Work colleagues are (rightly) avoiding me.

I wasn't in work long enough to count on Monday Freudian

Can you see another doctor at the practice? I can't believe they didn't give you a sick note, that's ridiculous!

Complainn to the practice manager

Dis you explain to the Dr you work with immunosuppressed? Ask for a phone call with another Dr? Or practice manager?

Freudianslurp yes it does. You have to be there past 9am (we start at 8.30) and not leave before 4 to count as a full day. Abd sickness policy is clear you have to have a full day between sickness periods.

And this is my first sick period since returning from may leave 11momths ago. Before that I don't remember the last time I had non-pregnancy related time off for illness.

My work also treats it as sick if you come in and go home, because so many people used to come in when too ill to work, go home sometimes before their shift even started and it wouldn't count as sickness

Imo the doctor should've given you a sick note, you're clearly too unwell to work, you're just asking for them to confirm that as after 5 days you can no longer self certify

YANBU you are clearly not fit for work under your circumstances and therefore you should be able to get a sick note.

I would go back to the doctors and ask again, explaining that while it's "only" a cold, you cannot perform your duties whilst still ill due to working with vulnerable people and any "adjusted duties" that would keep you away from the vulnerable people are impossible due to your symptoms (eg not being able to do office admin and answer phones due to the coughing etc)

I can't imagine why a doctor would refuse under those circumstances. The sick note is meant to be used on a case by case basis - so if you broke your ankle you might still be able to go in to an office job where you are sitting at a desk all day and not need a sick note but if you are a van driver then you can't drive with a broken ankle and so would need a sick note.

Can you just sit it out a day and then go back onto self certify?