Fit note requests
Fit notes are sometimes referred to as sick notes, medical statements, a Med3 or a doctor’s note.
When do I need a fit note?
For Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), employers can only ask employees for proof of sickness (such as a fit note) after 7 days of sickness (including non-working days). Proof of sickness cannot be requested earlier than 7 days.
7 or less days off sick
If you’re off work sick for 7 days or less, your employer should not ask for medical evidence that you’ve been ill. Instead they 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.
More than 7 days off sick
If you’re off work sick for more than 7 days, your employer will usually ask for a fit note (or Statement of Fitness for Work) from a GP.
How to request fit note
If the doctor is already aware of your condition then the easiest way to request a fit note is to complete a request using PATCHS
If this is your first fit note and you have not had a clinical assessment, then we may need some additional information before the doctor can issue a fit note for you. Please select your condition from this list and then select “I want treatment and advice from my GP”.
We will send your fit note through to you electronically whenever possible.