Obtaining a Medical Certificate

For some years, you have not required a medical certificate for illness lasting seven days or less.

If you are off work for between three and seven days, your employer may require a self certification certificate (SC2) which you can obtain from your place of work or from the local DHS office. We do not keep them in the surgery. If your employer requires a private certificate for your absence from work, they can be requested from your own doctor, for which there is a fee.

For illnesses over seven days (or if your illness is likely to last more than seven days) your doctor can issue with a medical certificate (Med3) for the appropriate time. There is no fee for this. Certificates can also be back dated, if necessary. However, you need to see the doctor for this (preferably your own GP) - you cannot request it any other way.

If you are in hospital, about to be discharged and require a medical certificate (for over seven days), please ask the nurse or doctor on the ward. YOU SHOULD ASK FOR A CERTIFICATE NOT ONLY FOR YOUR TIME IN HOSPITAL BUT ALSO FOR THE TIME THEY ADVISE YOU TO BE OFF WORK. This also applies to attendances at the hospital Accident and Emergency Departments and Out-Patients.