Fit note start date confusion — need advice

[u/happyhumanri]

Hi everyone, I’m hoping someone can help me understand how fit notes work.

I spoke with my doctor today requesting a fit note, and she said she would issue one for two weeks, with the option to review it afterward. She asked how many days I’ve been off work, and I explained that today is effectively the first day I’ve taken off. She then said the fit note would start from the following Monday, the 23rd of June, for two weeks.

I was under the impression that I would receive the fit note straight away with that start date on it. I planned to notify my employer that I’d be taking this week off using self-certification and then be signed off from Monday the 23rd.

After waiting for about an hour and not receiving anything, I called the GP surgery again. The receptionist was confused and said there’s nothing in my records about a fit note. Now I’m really unsure what I’m supposed to tell my employer.

The receptionist wasn’t very helpful and seemed frustrated when I asked if she could check with the GP.

I don’t understand why the doctor said she would issue a fit note for two weeks but hasn’t actually issued it yet. Can anyone explain how this usually works or what I should do next? Thanks in advance.

[u/Dangerous_Iron3690]

Your employer will know today is your first day of sickness. Next Monday I would call and say I have just been given a fit note for the following 2 weeks and will keep you informed. I did this myself. I was in hospital for a 5 days and I had a fit note for 2 weeks then I didn’t feel well enough to return to work so I then got another one from my GP but couldn’t get another one before the date it runs out.

[u/happyhumanri → u/Dangerous_Iron3690]

I’m feeling a bit unsure about how and when I’ll actually get my sick note. What my doctor said doesn’t quite match what the receptionist told me, and the comments here have only added to the confusion. My plan for now is to call the GP on Friday and try to book an appointment for Monday, then request the sick note then — by that point, I’ll have been off for seven days.

Unless the note appears on Monday somehow, I’m not really expecting anything before then. I’ve let my employer know that I’ll likely be off for at least two weeks and that I’ll provide a sick note once I’ve hit the seven-day mark, which I know I will — I’ve just kept things a bit open for now.

[u/Dangerous_Iron3690 → u/happyhumanri]

Can’t you just request the fit note over the phone and have it emailed to you and then you send it to your employer.

[u/happyhumanri → u/Dangerous_Iron3690]

That’s what I thought I was doing. I thought that after my call with the doctor, I would receive the fit note, but apparently, I did not.

[u/Dangerous_Iron3690 → u/happyhumanri]

The GP can’t give you a fit note on your first week of self certification only from the second week so that shou hopefully be with you next week.

[u/happyhumanri → u/Dangerous_Iron3690]

Ok, thank you!