Med 3 Fit Note
You do not require a doctor’s sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.
Evidence that you are sick
If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).
It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a ‘Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.
A fit note can be issued to advise either that:
- you are "not fit for work"
- you "may be fit for work taking into account the following advice"
Your healthcare professional will choose the "may be fit for work" option if they think that you are able to do some work, even if it is not your usual job, with support from your employer. This may include: reduced hours of work, temporarily working different hours, performing different duties or tasks, other support to help you do your job.
You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.
It is not just a doctor who can assess you and provide a sick note. Dentists, nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists can also provide a fit note depending on the issue.
Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.
Statement of Fitness for Work – ’Fit Note’
The ‘fit note’ was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer’s support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.
For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced) – ‘DirectGov Website’ needs to external link to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) : How to claim - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Going Back to Work
You should go back to work as soon as you feel able to and with your employer’s agreement – this may be before your fit note runs out. You do not need to go back to see your doctor before going back to work. Your doctor cannot give you a fit note stating that you are ‘fit for work’.
You do not need to see a healthcare professional again to go back to work or to review if you are fit to return to work.
The fit note does not have an option to say that you're fit for work. If a healthcare professional wants to assess your fitness for work again, they will say this on your fit note.
Some employers have their own policy that requires employees to obtain medical evidence that they are fit for work. If this is the case, your employer should help you arrange this privately with a healthcare professional or occupational health specialist. A healthcare professional cannot issue a fit note for this purpose.
How to request a fit note?
