If you are off work sick for seven days or less, your employer can ask you to confirm that you've been ill. You can do this by filling in a form yourself when you return to work. This is called self-certification.

Self-certification forms usually include details such as:

• information about your sickness or illness
• the date your sickness started
• the date your sickness ended

Many employers have their own self-certification forms. If your employer doesn't have their own form, instead they may use an SC2 form from HM Revenue & Customs Employee's Statement of Sickness.

Download a template self certifcation form

If you are sick and off work for more than seven days, your employer will normally ask you to provide a medical certificate from a clincian. 

Please book an appointment with a clincian to request this. 

If your certificate runs out, but you are still sick, you will need to consult the doctor again before you can get a further certificate.

Fit certificates can be back-dated so it is not necessary to make an emergency appointment to renew your certifiate. If you attend an emergency appointment for the purpose of getting a medical certificate you will be asked to rebook.

Fit notes are also sometimes called doctor's notes, sick notes, medical certificates or doctor's statements.

If your current Med-3 has expireds and you require another one, you many not need to have an appointment with a clincian again. You can complete the request form, which will be passed to the clincian to review. The clincian may want to speak to you on the telephone depending on how well they know you and why you are off work sick.

If you have not seen a doctor at the practice and we have had no information from a medical professional about your illness, you will not be able to get a certificate without an appointment. Please book a routine appointment; urgent appointments are only provided for genuine medical emergencies and not for the purpose of certificates.

If you are under the care of a hospital, your certificate may be issued by the hospital, rather than by the practice.