News:
SICK NOTES OR MEDICAL CERTIFICATES
 
Information for patients and their employers
 
Do you need a doctor's certificate in the first seven days of an illness?
No, illnesses that last less than one week are usually minor and self-limiting and you may not require a visit to the doctor. It can be difficult for your doctor to judge whether or not you are incapable of working in this situation. The certificate only indicates that you attended the surgery on a specific date complaining that you had a minor illness.
In general, the Department of Health and Social Security, employers and doctors do not recommend that you attend your doctor for sickness certification alone.  Your GP is only required to issue a certificate if your absence from work through sickness lasts more than seven days.

What do you need?
For the FIRST FOUR DAYS of any illness you do not require any form of certification. (It is for you to decide if you are fit to work).

For the NEXT THREE DAYS (including Saturdays and Sundays) you must fill in a self-certification form (available from your employer).

After the FIRST SEVEN DAYS you will need a doctor's certificate and will have to attend the doctor to get a Department of Social Security sicknote, either a 'Med 3' or 'Med 5'.

What are private sick notes?
Some employers or insurance schemes will ask you to provide a private sicknote.  The surgery will charge you a £10 fee to provide you with a private 'sick note'.



Cold and Flu
Back Pain
Diarrhoea
First Aid

Cold or Flu

 

Resources

Colds & Flu
A factsheet on the causes, symptoms, treatment & prevention of colds & the flu

NHS Choices - is it the common cold or the flu?
Colds and flu can share some of the same symptoms (sneezing, coughing, sore throat) but are caused by different viruses, and flu can be much more serious.  Find out more.

Seasonal Flu Vaccination

Influenza – flu – is a highly infectious and potentially serious illness caused by influenza viruses.  Each year the make-up of the seasonal flu vaccine is designed to protect against the influenza viruses that the World Healflujabsth Organization decide are most likely to be circulating in the coming winter.

Regular immunisation (vaccination) is given free of charge to the following at-risk people, to protect them from seasonal flu:

  • people aged 65 or over,
  • people with a serious medical condition
  • people living in a residential or nursing home
  • the main carers for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer becomes ill
  • healthcare or social care professionals directly involved in patient care, and
  • those who work in close contact with poultry, such as chickens.

Resources

For more information on flu immunisation, including background information on the vaccine and how you can get the jab, see Seasonal flu jab.

There is a full guide on the NHS immunisation website or you can download the pdf guide here

HPA - Season Flu Guide

RCGP - The battle against flus and colds

Seasonal Flu guide

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.