Fit Notes

Fit notes, formally known as 'Statement of Fitness for Work' and previously referred to as 'sick notes,' are documents issued by doctors to patients after evaluating their ability to work.

If you're off work sick for 7 days or less, your employer should not ask for medical evidence that you've been ill. You should however inform your employer and complete a self certification form when you return to work.

To count the number of days that you've been sick, you need to count all the days in a row you've been sick, including days you do not usually work, such as weekends and bank holidays.

If you're off work sick for more than 7 days and you need a fit note, contact a doctor or nurse looking after you.

You should go back to work as soon as you feel able to, and this may be before the end date on your fit note. You do not require to see a healthcare professional prior to returning to work. We do not issue notes stating you are fit to work.

If you require a fit note to cover your hospital stay, this should be provided by the medical team who cared for you while you were an inpatient.
Fit Note Extension


It is possible for a fit note to be back dated so you do not need to be seen urgently or on the day that your fit note expires.

A doctor may also extend a fit note without you being seen again.

A request for another fit note can be made by calling or emailing the surgery (see below).

Renewed fit notes can be collected from the reception. Please allow 48 hours before retrieving a fit note from the reception.
Fit Note Requests

You can request to renew your fit note by calling or emailing the surgery.
If you choose to email the surgery, please make sure to include the following:

Patient's first and last name

Contact telephone number

Start date

Patient's date of birth

Reason for the fit note

Duration or end date

Please note that clinical queries cannot be addressed via email. To discuss such concerns, please call the surgery and schedule an appointment. Any emails containing clinical queries will be deleted.