Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Need sick note for work but can't get through to GP

32 replies

movingmountains73 · 15/01/2025 08:27

Stressing here. I'll try and keep it short.

My job is causing me a lot of stress. My anxiety is through the roof and I can't sleep or eat properly. I'm constantly on edge and just can't relax. I've decided I won't be returning but need to find another job before I can leave. I know I can self certify for 7 days before I need to provide a sick note from the GP. I've been off since last Friday. The issue is I'm struggling to get through to them to book an appointment. You have to ring at 8am which I have been doing since Monday but it doesn't even put me in a queue, just says the reception team are dealing with other calls and to try again later. I have to ring work every morning which is making things worse as I've had to lie and say I've had a stomach bug. I don't want to tell them what's actually wrong until I have the sick note. What am I suppose to do if I can't get a sick note after the 7 days is up? Does anyone know, from an employment perspective what they can do if you can't get one straight away?

OP posts:
blobby10 · 15/01/2025 08:29

Apparently you don't have to tell your employer why you are off work - they can ask and you can tell them if you wish but they cannot insist. The words 'I am not fit for work' should be enough. Are there any Employment Law experts out there who can verify this ?

TomorrowTodayYesterday · 15/01/2025 08:32

So is your plan to go off sick until you get an offer for a new role then resign?

Agix · 15/01/2025 08:32

They can put it down as unauthorised absence. Whether they actually do or not depends on them. I had some time sick last year and some of my fit notes were late, work were totally chill about it.

You might want to go to your GP surgery if you can't get through on the phones though.

Alwayslurkingsometimesposting · 15/01/2025 08:34

So sorry you're going through this OP- I have the same with my GP and it's horrible. I second the suggestion to turn up in person.

Doggymummar · 15/01/2025 08:36

Why don't you do a telephone consultation or go to the surgery?

Hurrayakitten · 15/01/2025 08:39

since you are not working, could you walk to the surgery to speak to reception?

Also, is your plan to go off sick until you find a new job and then resign? That's poor. Either you are too ill to work or you aren't.

Foib · 15/01/2025 08:41

Could you request a sick note through their website? I had to do this a couple of years ago & they sent it back very quickly, I didn't see a gp & just had to email reception if it needed extending

Original poster
movingmountains73 · 15/01/2025 08:42

@Hurrayakitten I don't understand your comment. It's the job that's making me ill, so what do you suggest I do? Even if I resigned now, I would still have to work my notice period. How am I suppose to do that if they are causing me so much stress and making me unwell?

OP posts:
TroysMammy · 15/01/2025 08:44

Have a look at your surgery website it may give info on how to request a fit note. The surgery I work in has an admin section where you can request one. If a consultation is needed you will get a phone call to discuss.

FTHC · 15/01/2025 08:45

I think they can backdate fit notes?

Are you in the position to pay for an online GP appointment

thesaskedminger · 15/01/2025 08:46

Have you asked the receptionist when you call? There is probably a way for you to do this without an actual appointment. Ours does them by econsult not but prior to that they just used old fashioned email.

thesaskedminger · 15/01/2025 08:47

Sorry just realised you are calling at peak appointment booking time. You should try later in the day when you can actually get though and speak to someone

thesaskedminger · 15/01/2025 08:47

FTHC · 15/01/2025 08:45

I think they can backdate fit notes?

Are you in the position to pay for an online GP appointment

Yes they can be backdated. They cannot be done in advance though.

Danikm151 · 15/01/2025 08:48

For my doctors I need to stay on the line for at least 40 off minutes to get through that’s after attempting 8-10 to even get in the queue.
just keep calling over and over

Hollowvoice · 15/01/2025 08:50

movingmountains73 · 15/01/2025 08:27

Stressing here. I'll try and keep it short.

My job is causing me a lot of stress. My anxiety is through the roof and I can't sleep or eat properly. I'm constantly on edge and just can't relax. I've decided I won't be returning but need to find another job before I can leave. I know I can self certify for 7 days before I need to provide a sick note from the GP. I've been off since last Friday. The issue is I'm struggling to get through to them to book an appointment. You have to ring at 8am which I have been doing since Monday but it doesn't even put me in a queue, just says the reception team are dealing with other calls and to try again later. I have to ring work every morning which is making things worse as I've had to lie and say I've had a stomach bug. I don't want to tell them what's actually wrong until I have the sick note. What am I suppose to do if I can't get a sick note after the 7 days is up? Does anyone know, from an employment perspective what they can do if you can't get one straight away?

Have you tried calling later in the day to ask what you can do?

Itsjustnotthevibe · 15/01/2025 08:52

Does your surgery have an e-consult function? You fill in a form online and it gets sent to the surgery. I always do this and get a reply pretty quickly. A fit note can be backdated.

MyDeepZebra · 15/01/2025 08:52

GPs can backdate a sick note.

Are there no econsult forms or a way to contact the surgery via email?

If you call later in the day you can explain the situation to a receptionist and you may be able to book in for a routine appointment instead of a same day one and get your sick note back dated.

Createausername1970 · 15/01/2025 08:54

Hurrayakitten · 15/01/2025 08:39

since you are not working, could you walk to the surgery to speak to reception?

Also, is your plan to go off sick until you find a new job and then resign? That's poor. Either you are too ill to work or you aren't.

I agree with this. OP might not like the job but it's unfair to get signed off for weeks/months then resign.

OP, suggest you check your contract as you are not guaranteed to be paid full pay indefinitely. Also, not sure how you would stand if you are off sick but going for interviews if current company got wind of that. Or how a new employer would view it either.

I would suggest actually talking to them and explaining why the job is causing you so many problems. It might be something that can be resolved. But if you think it's unresolvable, then just hand in your notice asap, any holiday owing could be used towards your notice period, you may have to go back to serve a notice period or they may let you go straight away if they know you hate the job.

Careerburnout · 15/01/2025 09:00

Hi OP,
I just wanted to say I absolutely understand why people are saying it’s poor, but I understand sometimes you just have no choice.

I am so stressed at work that the sounds of Teams/Emails coming through quite literally pushes me to the edge. I have developed a type of eczema due to the stress - my ears, face and eyes are all leaking and I’ve been supported by the eye hospital since October. Today I will spend the day washing my eye and putting in eye drops.

I don’t know what sector you work in, but until you’ve been in the position where a job is literally making you ill, I don’t think anyone can judge. I plan to do the same as you very soon OP - going off sick until I find another job.

Original poster
movingmountains73 · 15/01/2025 09:04

@Createausername1970 to be honest I think your assumptions are pretty unfair. I've been in this job for 5 years, never taken a sick day, always worked hard and actually gone above and beyond for the company but due to a recent merger and redundancies I've ended up with a whole new team and manager. I'm the only one from the old team left and have had to go through this huge change on my own with 0 support from management. I've ploughed through for the last 7 months but it's gotten worse and worse. My new manager is awful. The team is bitchy and toxic and makes it known that I'm the odd one out. I've tried my absolute hardest to make it work. I'm not just doing this because I fancy a day off. The job has made me ill.

OP posts:
JayJayj · 15/01/2025 09:05

Doctors can’t issue a sick note until you have been off for 7 days. So even if you get an appointment today they couldn’t do anything and you’d have to call on Friday.

I would either so as suggested and go into the surgery or call later in the day when phone lines are less busy.

Also just tell your job you are not going to be in for this week and longer due to stress. Make sure it’s record. You will get the sick note so you don’t have to worry about it not being issued.

Original poster
movingmountains73 · 15/01/2025 09:06

@Careerburnout thank you for understanding. I hope you get the support you need and feel better soon. X

OP posts:
NZDreaming · 15/01/2025 09:08

@movingmountains73 im sorry to hear you are struggling so much with your work situation. As others have suggested go on your GP’s website and see how they advise getting a fit note. Many offer an online e-consult and the note is then emailed to you. Most GP’s won’t make you a same day or urgent appointment as fit notes can be back dated and are not classed as urgent.

There is no issue with your intention to be on sick leave and to resign. The terms of your contract dictate your notice period and it’s perfectly legal to be off sick for the full length of that time. Your employer may offer an alternative end date but that is for you to discuss and mutually agree.

If you are on sick leave there are no restrictions on your activity other than actually being paid to work elsewhere. You can spend time applying and attending interviews, you can volunteer, you can travel or you can stay on the sofa under a blanket. If work is the primary source of your poor health then staying away and getting this resolved is your priority, which means sitting the fit note and job hunting. Anyone saying anything else has clearly never had a work induced illness or been on extended sick leave.

To those saying resign now I’d point out that most people don’t have sufficient funds saved to sustain themselves for months and depending on the field of work OP is in it can take time to find something suitable.

Focus on yourself and calming your thoughts, you can get through this.

Snowmanscarf · 15/01/2025 09:14

They probably won’t give you a sick note without seeing you first, unless you have a history of stress (which it doesn’t sound like you do).

mnreader · 15/01/2025 09:17

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.