If you are sick and off work for more than seven days, your employer will normally ask you to provide a medical certificate from your GP.
In general, GPs in the UK cannot issue a sick note without medical evidence or an appropriate clinical assessment. Here’s a quick breakdown:
GPs need:
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Medical evidence of the condition affecting your ability to work.
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A consultation or recent appointment to assess symptoms (unless an ongoing long-term issue)
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Reasonable clinical judgment—they must be confident the person is or was unfit for work.
GPs cannot do:
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Issue a sick note based solely on a patient’s request with no recent contact.
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Backdate a note too far without evidence of ongoing illness at the time.
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Provide a fit note for a period where no assessment or contact was made.
Exception:
If it's for a very recent, short-term issue, and the GP has prior records or knowledge, they may use their discretion—but even then, they’ll often require a consultation.
Clinician may review before issue sick not/fit note.
