To request a sick or fit note, please click here.
Fit notes can only be issued when they are due. While they can be backdated where appropriate, they cannot be future dated. Please do not book urgent or emergency appointments solely to request a fit note.
If you have recently been discharged from hospital, the hospital team should provide certification covering your inpatient stay. Following discharge, your GP can issue further fit notes based on your discharge information if required.
Self-Certification
If you have been unwell for 4–7 days, you can usually self-certify your illness using an SC2 form. If you cannot fill this online, your employer should have printed copies or you can access a pdf version here.
When You Need a Fit Note
If you are absent from work for more than 7 consecutive days — including weekends and bank holidays — your employer will usually request a Statement of Fitness for Work (“Fit Note”) from your GP or hospital doctor.
Fit notes are provided for employment and Statutory Sick Pay purposes only.
Private Certificates & Letters
Additional medical letters or certificates requested by employers, schools, colleges, or other organisations are not covered by the NHS and may incur a private fee. Please contact reception for further information.
School & College Absence Certificates
GPs do not routinely provide absence certificates for school children. In most cases, a parent or guardian’s explanation is sufficient. Requests for certificates relating to education, examinations, or attendance may be treated as private, non-NHS work.
