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Original poster

question about sick notes/ fit notes

17 replies

ilovesushi · 14/12/2023 12:43

I have been off work for the last 10 days and realised I need to provide a sick note or a fit note for my employer. I rarely take time off so I am pretty clueless about the process. I've not seen a GP while I've been ill as it seemed like a virus and just stayed in bed and slept. I rang the surgery to ask how to go about getting a fit note/ sick note and the receptionist was really unhelpful and seemed like she thought I was being a complete liar about being ill.

I imagined I'd get some kind of quick telephone consultation with the GP but she's booked me in for a face to face appointment at the end of next week. It makes zero sense as I am on the mend now and I hope will be fine by then. I know GPs have limited slots so it feels crazy that I am potentionaly taking up a slot from someone who really needs it.

Does anyone else who is less clueless know what I should be doing. This just seems wrong and now I am panicking that I wouldn't have the required documentation for work. Help!

OP posts:
crackfoxy · 14/12/2023 12:57

Can you do an e consult? You can self certificate for the first 7 days - these are available online. Then put in e consult how long you were ill for, what were symptoms and that you've self certificated for 7 days till x date but need a sick not from xx date to xx date.

Comefromaway · 14/12/2023 13:00

We always tell our employees to self cert for the first 7 days then make an appointment with the GP BEFORE that runs out and get the GP to date the sick note from the 8th day onwards. Mt my GP it would be a telephone consultation and for an employee who is currently off sick it was all done online.

Neriah · 14/12/2023 13:00

I agree - one way or another you need a fit note urgently. Whilst a GP can backdate a fit note in some circumstances, I honestly cannot see one backdating one for a clearly fit person who says they were sick over two weeks ago. My GP also does e-consult for stuff like this.

Original poster
ilovesushi · 14/12/2023 13:05

I have just rung back as I thought maybe I didn't explain myself clearly and the receptionist says they can't do a telephone consultation before next week either. I am going back to work on Monday. I wish I'd made an appointment when I was properly sick but I genuinely felt too awful to leave the house and I knew it was a virus and was reluctant to spread it around other people. Really don't know what to do.

OP posts:
Original poster
ilovesushi · 14/12/2023 13:09

@crackfoxy what is an e consult? Is it something your GP has or is it a wider system like 111?

OP posts:
MandyMotherOfBrian · 14/12/2023 13:19

You could, if you’ve got the spare funds, get a fit/sick note from a private GP. You could probably find one that will give you an appointment later on today. Unsure if they will back date it though.

MandyMotherOfBrian · 14/12/2023 13:21

ilovesushi · 14/12/2023 13:09

@crackfoxy what is an e consult? Is it something your GP has or is it a wider system like 111?

Econsult is just an automated process that some GP surgeries use so you can outline your problem online to them. They’ll still triage it though and unlikely they will treat it as urgent.

thedukeofbuckinghamshire · 14/12/2023 13:38

I do think the whole fit note system relies on someone being able to get a GP appt very promptly which isn't a given these days at all. I think if you just explain to GP what happened they'll backdate it no problem. Or do what PP said and get a private GP appt, my friend did that recently for her second week off and they just gave it no issue at all.

Original poster
ilovesushi · 14/12/2023 13:42

Thank you all! I am going to try and book an appointment with superdrug. I just had no understanding of the system or I would have got myself booked in right away.

OP posts:
PinkDaffodil2 · 14/12/2023 13:48

GP will probably just backdate it for you but you can’t rely on that as they’re not really supposed to and some practices have nurses, pharmacists filling in the forms now who are much more ‘by the book’. It’s a stupid system. A private GP will be more likely to backdate I think.

PinkDaffodil2 · 14/12/2023 13:50

Also I encourage patients to ring the practice the day their self certification expires - we can see when the appointment was made so it’s not really backdating as such if it’s from when they called for an appointment. Though these requests don’t get appointments at ours anymore - just squeezed in as extra.

ImTheGoat · 14/12/2023 13:55

Agree that private GP is the way to go and you'll be able to get a telephone or more likely video appointment very quickly. I would think they will backdate - I'm sure this is something they deal with frequently.

Neriah · 14/12/2023 20:24

ImTheGoat · 14/12/2023 13:55

Agree that private GP is the way to go and you'll be able to get a telephone or more likely video appointment very quickly. I would think they will backdate - I'm sure this is something they deal with frequently.

Some employers (mine included) won't accept private fit notes. They are suspicious of paid for "proof".

ImTheGoat · 14/12/2023 20:35

I've heard of that @Neriah but I would have thought it's fairly unusual? If I presented a private GP fit note to my work and they said they didn't accept them I would apologise profusely, say I didn't realise they don't accept them and that I'd gone private as I had struggled to get an NHS GP appointment, and ask them for their advice on next steps. I would guess they would then say "OK this time we'll accept it but you'll know for next time".... Certainly worth a try (if affordable).

Original poster
ilovesushi · 15/12/2023 10:09

I've got my fit note and it gives all the correct dates, so back dated to when my self certification period ended. I went through Superdrug and had a video consultation with a GP. I feel so much better today. Any longer and it just would not have been credible. If I am off for a period again in the future at least I know to prioritise getting a GP appointment sooner!

Thank you for all the advice and support. I was feeling incredibly stressed by it all.

OP posts:
Neriah · 15/12/2023 17:50

ImTheGoat · 14/12/2023 20:35

I've heard of that @Neriah but I would have thought it's fairly unusual? If I presented a private GP fit note to my work and they said they didn't accept them I would apologise profusely, say I didn't realise they don't accept them and that I'd gone private as I had struggled to get an NHS GP appointment, and ask them for their advice on next steps. I would guess they would then say "OK this time we'll accept it but you'll know for next time".... Certainly worth a try (if affordable).

I don't know. Very large public sector employer, and its clearly stated in policy.

And some years ago I dismissed someone for this. BUT to be fair, I "inherited" him, everyone knew he went on leave for the same reason to the same place for annual leave, then presented a private sick note from that location, EVERY YEAR. I warned him not to do it again. He did it again. He was dismissed. People like him are the reason some employers don't believe paid for for notes.

Lastexmouse · 16/12/2023 22:05

My gp practice has info on the website on sick notes.
Worth looking there.

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