Feel stressed can I stay off work but not go to GP?

[pencilcase11]

My Sickness policy says that I need self certification if I have illness for 5 calendar days. If more than 5 days then GP medical certificate. I stayed off work today ...can I stay for 4 more days and just say to work that I feel stressed and not go to GP as it is just 5 days? thank you,

When you say you 'feel stressed' is this just in the way I feel stressed when I haven't done all my marking but I still have to get up and go into work? Or are you suffering from stress?

I think if I were to stay off for five days because I was feeling stressed, work might be a bit But if I felt I was suffering from stress, I think I would go to the doctor to get properly signed off. Is there a reason why you can't do this?

I do suffer from stress. I do not want GP to have a record on me about stress. If policy says 5 days will it be fair to stay 4-5 days off?

I think "5 calendar days" will include weekends.

If your first day off is today (Monday) and you don't go back until next Monday, that would be 7 calendar days (so need a doctors certificate?). Going back Friday would be 4 calendar days so not need a doctors note.

That's how I read it anyway.

No legally it's 7 days ie 5 work days. So yes you can give your work whatever reason you like for being off in the first week. GP won't issue a fit note until you've self certified for 7 days anyway.

Depends on your employer too.
If we are off and cite stress they contact the Healthcare service that has taken over from staff welfare and someone will phone up to harass you.

It's 7 calendar days, so basically you can sign yourself off for up to a week.

I'm intrigued though. If you don't want your GP to know that you are suffering from stress, what do you intend to sign yourself off work with?

i will sign off myself with suffering from stress

What's the problem with going to the GP then? If you don't mind your employer knowing it's stress, surely it's better to get a medical certificate saying so? Carries more weight.

If I got a self certificate from an employee diagnosing themselves with stress...they would be going straight to occupational health.
Whether your GP has a record of writing a sick note for stress of you submit your own, I am not sure what the issue is if you're going to be saying it to your employer?

I agree with what Framboisier says.

So you don't want your GP to have you down as suffering from stress, but you don't mind your employer knowing.

What's the reason for this? are you worried the GP would tell someone else?

If you self certify how do you expect things to be better when you return after a week? If you get referred to OH you will have to see your GP anyway.