Delay in providing GP sick note query

Pyewacket · Post by **Pyewacket** » 08 Mar 2020, 11:32

I'm self certifying sick until the middle of this week. However the earliest GP appointment I could get in order to get a sick note is not for another week after that, (the note should be backdated).

The standard letter my manager has sent out states I have 24 hours to get a sick note to them from the end of my self certification period or my sick pay may be withheld.

Do we know how strict they are regarding this 24 hours in the light of how hard it is to get to see your GP these days? Any advice, or am I going to have to be a difficult patient and just camp at my GPs office on my last day of self-cert until they will help me?

Thank you

daveyeff · Post by **daveyeff** » 08 Mar 2020, 17:59

24 hrs from ''the end'' of your self certifying certificate. so you have till next Monday (16th March) to get a GPs sick to him. your self certificate is for the first 7 days. so tomorrow (9th March) is your 1st day. no need to worry.

Pyewacket · Post by **Pyewacket** » 08 Mar 2020, 18:24

daveyeff wrote:24 hrs from ''the end'' of your self certifying certificate. so you have till next Monday (16th March) to get a GPs sick to him. your self certificate is for the first 7 days. so tomorrow (9th March) is your 1st day. no need to worry.

The problem is my first day was last Thurs (5th) so it runs out on the 11th and I couldn't get an appointment until the 18th. So there is a week gap between my self cert running out and my GP appointment.

daveyeff · Post by **daveyeff** » 08 Mar 2020, 20:06

well unless you are going back on the 12th then you will need to phone him and let him know the score.

Janet Brum · Post by **Janet Brum** » 08 Mar 2020, 21:06

Can`t you go to a walk in clinic and see a doctor there for your sick note?
Or book an appointment at your surgery with a different Gp?

Pyewacket · Post by **Pyewacket** » 08 Mar 2020, 22:17

Janet Brum wrote:Can`t you go to a walk in clinic and see a doctor there for your sick note?
Or book an appointment at your surgery with a different Gp?

Thanks, not heard of any walk in clinics in this area, just had a google and can't see any.

I booked the first appointment available at my surgery - no idea who any of the GPs are.

Ali831 · Post by **Ali831** » 08 Mar 2020, 23:08

What happens if the GP doesn't think you need a sick note, backdated or otherwise! What would happen then?

Janet Brum · Post by **Janet Brum** » 09 Mar 2020, 08:15

Pyewacket wrote:
Janet Brum wrote:Can`t you go to a walk in clinic and see a doctor there for your sick note?
Or book an appointment at your surgery with a different Gp?
Thanks, not heard of any walk in clinics in this area, just had a google and can't see any.

I booked the first appointment available at my surgery - no idea who any of the GPs are.

Try find one using this link: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other ... Search/663" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

picture123 · Post by **picture123** » 09 Mar 2020, 11:20

Ali831 wrote:What happens if the GP doesn't think you need a sick note, backdated or otherwise! What would happen then?

I'd imagine it would be unauthorised absence and Royal Mail would retrieve any sick pay they had paid

Ricardo44 · Post by **Ricardo44** » 09 Mar 2020, 12:50

I'm not sure if GP's are allowed to backdate sicknotes. I dont think they are allowed to but i'm not 100 per cent. Might be worth ringing them to find out?

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 09 Mar 2020, 13:46

Ricardo44 wrote:I'm not sure if GP's are allowed to backdate sicknotes. I dont think they are allowed to but i'm not 100 per cent. Might be worth ringing them to find out?

According to the BMA, they can https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employmen ... rtificates" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

GPs should note that they can back date a fit note; in certain situations, parts of the fit note may need to include dates which are earlier than the date of the statement.

Ricardo44 · Post by **Ricardo44** » 09 Mar 2020, 15:03

Thanks for clearing that up TBT.