Sickness Certificates

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.

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.

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)

Home Visits

Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception before 10:30am

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Lack of transport is not a reason to request a home visit. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Remember the doctor can see three or four patients in the surgery in the time it takes to do one home visit. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

What to Expect at Your Appointment

If it’s your first visit, or it’s simply been a while, here’s a quick guide to how things work on the day.

Before You Arrive

Please arrive a few minutes early, particularly if it’s your first appointment, as you may need to confirm or update your details at reception. Bring a list of any current medication if you’re discussing a new or ongoing health issue.

During Your Appointment

Appointments are typically ten minutes long. If you have more than one problem to discuss, it helps to mention this when you book, so we can allow enough time or arrange a longer appointment where needed.

Telephone and Video Consultations

Not every appointment needs to be face to face. Where appropriate, our clinicians can offer a telephone or video consultation, which can be a convenient option for follow-ups, results, or straightforward queries.

How to Register with Us

This is a sample page on how patients can register with your practice. There is no limit to the volume of content including the ability for other links or QR codes for registration.