All Patients are required to Self Certify their sickness for the first 7 days of absence by using the HM Revenue & Customs SC2 form available via GOV.com ( printable or Digital version ) or request a paper copy from their Employer or local Job centre.
If a patient has been an in-patient at a Hospital and has been advised to refrain from work by a Clinician at the Hospital, it is the responsibility of the advising Clinician to supply a Med3/Sick note certificate for the sufficient duration of work absence advised.
Following a Med3/Sick paper from the Hospital, the GP can review the patient in a routine appointment if the patient feels they need a longer period of time to recover. It is not the responsibility of the GP to provide a Med3/Sicknote certificate from the discharge date. If the med3/sicknote ends at the hospital discharge date the patient will be required to book a routine GP appointment to discuss a continuation paper.
Med3/Sick note certificates can be back dated but Not forward dated. Med3/sicknotes can only be issued on the day they due or after the due date.
A GP will issue an initial Med3/Sicknote for bereavement but a further routine GP appointment will be required if the patient feels they require a longer of period of time off work. (Patients could be advised in this scenario to discuss the circumstances with their employer and ask about the Employers bereavement policy.)
Med3/Sicknote can be issued for amended duties / reduced working hours.
If a med3/sicknote has been issued and the patient feels they are fit to return to work before the end date of the med 3/sicknote, the patient Does Not require a 'fit to work' paper, these are no longer requited as per Gov.com advice.