How do I take a week off sick with stress?

[Mel15sa]

Hiya!

I need a full week off work, its' recently been getting to me, I am in the NHS healthcare.
My record is good other, but this year has been really hard. I feel I need time to rest, not for annual leave, just to recover from feeling stressed.

Do I call in sick every day? Or do I go to my GP and ask for a fit note for a week and then send it to my line manager?
I think a full Mon-Fri would be helpful.

I have never done this before so I don't know how to do it. My DP says I don't have to do anything if it's 1 week, and do a self certify, but my manager is abit of a micro manager and I think she is also part of the reason I feel stressed- I didn't even do anything wrong.

thanks xx

You should be able to self certify.

if not or you want to be more robust, my GP has an online form you fill in, say you’re stressed and you’ll get one. Sometimes they’ll phone you to ask qs.

To add: your line manager would be an idiot to enquire and interrogate you. Just tell HR and ignore your line manager entirely.

You ring in
you say you are off sick
you self cert for a week
then you go back and have a return to work interview
if you say stress, your manager is obliged to do a stress risk assessment with you

Depends on your work absence procedure how, who and when you need to notify but you can self certify for up to 7 days(including weekend and non-work days) by completing a Self Certification form.

Maybe you just need a holiday?

You can call in for a week and self certify but you will have to tell them what you are off with.

Rightly or wrongly I think most people would say flu like symptoms. Stress only appears if they need more than a week and see a doctor. I've only ever seen stress on a doctor's note, never a self certification.

Yes you can self certify for a week. It isn’t often long enough to recover from work place stress.

Are you a trade union member?

You have to self-certify. My GP refuses to do any fit notes for the first seven days. Your employer can’t ask for a fit note for that time.