Fit/Sick Notes
Self Certification Fit Note for less than 7 days
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.
Many employers have their own self-certification forms. If your employer doesn’t have its own form you can download the Self Certification Form. Please print it, fill it in and hand it in to your employer. You do not need to see a Doctor.
Request a Fit/Sick note for more than 7 days
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 or hospital doctor. Fit notes are sometimes referred to as medical statements or a Sick note.
You will require an initial appointment with a clinician, which can be completed via telephone, before a Fit Note is provided. If you have recently been discharged from hospital following an inpatient admission please ask your consultant or specialist for an initial Fit Note.
Have you recently been seen in hospital?
If your absence from work is related to any of the following:
- A hospital admission
- A hospital procedure
- An outpatient procedure
- Recent treatment or care from a consultant
The clinician responsible for your care should provide your Fit Note for the relevant recovery period, as they have the most up-to-date information and a detailed understanding of your condition, treatment and recovery needs.
Please contact the relevant hospital department or consultant’s secretary directly to request your Fit Note.
Request an extension to an existing Fit/Sick note
Need to Extend Your Fit Note?
If you have already had a Fit Note for your current illness, a doctor may be able to give you a continuation Fit Note without an appointment.
To request an extension, you can:
- Complete the Fit Note Assessment Questionnaire using the digital form below.
- Complete a request form at the front desk in reception
- Print a copy of the form from our website and complete it at home.
Our clinical team will review your request within 72 working hours.
Please note: Completion of this questionnaire does not guarantee that a Fit Note will be issued. Your request will be reviewed by a clinician, who will consider the information provided alongside any relevant clinical findings and medical evidence before making a decision.
Sometimes, the doctor may need more information before they can issue another Fit Note. If further clinical assessment or review is required, we will contact you to explain what you need to do next.
In-Work Support
In-work support is available through a range of organisations to help you manage your health condition and provide complimentary therapies, counselling and wellbeing support to help you remain well at work.
The benefit of in-work support is that it can help people manage a health condition while remaining in, returning to, or sustaining employment.
It can provide:
- Practical support to manage health conditions at work.
- Counselling and wellbeing support to improve confidence and mental wellbeing.
- Advice on workplace adjustments that may make work more manageable.
- Help with returning to work following illness or absence.
- Access to therapies and other support that may complement usual healthcare.
- Early intervention, potentially preventing health difficulties from becoming a barrier to staying in work.
The In-Work Support Service
Is a health condition affecting your attendance, performance or wellbeing at work? The In-Work Support Service can provide free, confidential support to help you manage your health and stay in work. Support can include:
- Counselling and psychological therapies for issues such as stress, anxiety and depression.
- Support for physical health conditions, including back pain, repetitive strain injuries and other musculoskeletal problems that may be affecting your ability to work.
- Practical support with other issues that may be impacting your wellbeing, such as financial difficulties or relationship problems.
The service provides rapid access to support and therapies to help you develop coping strategies, reduce anxiety and improve your physical and emotional wellbeing.
The service is free and completely confidential.
You can refer yourself by calling 01745 336442 or by visiting their website here.
Vale Employability
Vale Employability offers free support to help people in the Vale of Glamorgan achieve their employment and career goals.
Whether you’re looking to find work, return to employment, develop your skills, or explore a new career, their friendly team can provide advice, guidance and practical support tailored to your needs.
You may be eligible for support through programmes including Communities for Work Plus and the CELT+ project, funded through the Shared Prosperity Fund.
If you’re looking for your next step, Vale Employability can help you build your confidence, develop your skills and move closer to your employment goals.
Find out more about the support available and see how Vale Employability could help you by visiting their website here.