Med3 Fit Notes

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 .

For any illness lasting longer than seven days you will need to see the doctor for him/her to issue a ‘Fit Note’ and for any subsequent renewal of the certificate. If your employer insists on a sickness certificate for 7 days or less a charge will be levied.

PLEASE NOTE THAT IT IS NOT CLASSED AS AN EMERGENCY TO HAVE YOUR FIT NOTE REVIEWED.  To request a Fit Note, please put an askmyGP request through and the GP will process this.

Sick note to fit note – helping people stay in work

On the 6 April 2010 the sick note was replaced by the fit note.

Evidence shows that work is generally good for your health and that often going back to work can actually aid a person’s recovery. On the other hand, staying off work can lead to long-term absence and job loss with the risk of isolation, loss of confidence, mental health issues, de-skilling and social exclusion.

The new fit note can help. Doctors are able to advise people who are on sick leave for over 7 days whether, with extra support from their employer, they could return to work earlier.

For more information visit http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/Sicknessabsence/DG_187161

Mandatory Collection of eMED3

This data is being collected on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions in order to:

• undertake research analysis to inform policy relating to employment and sickness absence, including evaluation of the Fit for Work programme.
• help identify geographic level differences in return to work so that national and local providers can respond to provide appropriate services.

The data collected is anonymised data, including information such as: the type and duration of the fit note; recommendations for adjustments to enable a return to work; diagnostic codes; geographic area and gender.

The collection will be made using the services of the four main primary care principal clinical system suppliers, under the General Practice Systems of Choice framework contract. The data collected will be published on the HSCIC iView portal on a quarterly basis starting in April 2016.

Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, Section 259, the HSCIC has the authority to collect data from public bodies such as GPs, hospitals and adult social care services. HSCIC has issued a Section 259 notice to collect this data.  This means that general practices are legally obliged to provide this information.

Useful links

Follow the links below to find out about Statutory Sick Pay and company sick pay rights.

Company sick pay rights (employment section)

Statutory Sick Pay (money, tax and benefits section)