Anyone tried to get a Sick Note from GP lately?

[Illaveago]

This company sounds as though it is still working in the Dickensian period !

 

[MontyVeda]

This company sounds as though it is still working in the Dickensian period !

the rules changed less than a month ago... December 10th 2021. Yes they should know about recent changes to the Law, but it's hardly Dickensian.

 

[Noodle Legs]

I signed off work 9th of November with stress and anxiety, knowing that I was going to be off well beyond my self certifying first week, I rang up the doctors, told them I was having stress/anxiety/ mental health issues and that they couldn’t even give me a call back until the 29th! Despite my pleas it was the best they could do. So I went private in the end- £30 later I had a sick note there and then.

 

[Illaveago]

You should be able to tell them which hospital you were in and what ward. If they don't believe you then I would start looking for something else .

 

[vickster]

Surely you / your GP have received a discharge note from the hospital?
do you have online access to your records via Patient Access, there should be a record on there entered by your GP surgery (although it may take a few days after they get the paperwork)

 

[midlife]

rules dont say you cant speak to your doctor about your recovery and other issues which he also wanted to do !!

I'm not sure I mentioned anything but a fit note?

 

[MontyVeda]

Surely you / your GP have received a discharge note from the hospital?
do you have online access to your records via Patient Access, there should be a record on there entered by your GP surgery (although it may take a few days after they get the paperwork)

All i got on being discharged was a prescription for antibiotics and a call-back letter for a chest X-ray on the 21st Jan.

setting up patient access account now ...which is proving useless... There's glitch in the 'link to my practice' page (yes I've tried different browsers) so can't see any personal info. Even searching for 'pneumonia' delivers no results. Chocolate fireguard springs to mind.

 

[vickster]

All i got on being discharged was a prescription for antibiotics and a call-back letter for a chest X-ray on the 21st Jan.

setting up patient access account now ...which is proving useless... There's glitch in the 'link to my practice' page (yes I've tried different browsers) so can't see any personal info. Even searching for 'pneumonia' delivers no results. Chocolate fireguard springs to mind.

Medical record is on a separate screen. It needs to be activated possibly. I can also get at mine through the NHS app but not sure if you need PA first.

 

[Buck]

It's not just the sick note that pi$$ed me off when I rang my GP's practice... it's the sheer lack of advice regarding my road to recovery.

I can look online and the general advice is this...

It’s impossible to say exactly how quickly you’ll recover, but here’s an idea of what to expect:​

​

1 week​	your fever should be gone​
4 weeks​	your chest will feel better and you’ll produce less mucus​
6 weeks​	you’ll cough less and find it easier to breathe​
3 months​	most of your symptoms should be gone, though you may still feel tired​
6 months​	you should feel back to normal​

You’ll recover gradually. You can help by eating well and doing some exercise including deep breathing exercises.​

​

At first, you’ll need plenty of rest. As you begin to feel better, you can start to be a bit more active, but don’t push yourself too hard. Start off by getting out of bed and moving around for a few minutes each day. As your symptoms improve and you have more energy, you can increase your activity. Speak to your doctor about how much exercise you should do as you recover.​

...but that doesn't say when i can go back to work, or expect to. I want to talk to a doctor to ask things like, can i go out for a walk in the cold winter air? What about my swollen knee? Should i be walking on it? Does it want ice or heat? Compression bandages yes or no???

I'm feeling pi$$ed off that the receptionist on the phone just fobbed me right off when i started asking the above. Dread to think where I'd be if i spoke to the same one last week when i needed my initial appointment.

You should have got this advice from the hospital not your GP.
Also your “just 2 minutes” is over simplifying things. To issue the Fit note they need to assess your record and review your noted to make sure they are accurately issuing the fit note hence the move to 28 days self certification.

 

[Drago]

I'd also like to give my employer some proof.

I recall one bobby who was off with a nasty stomach bug was being hassled on the blower for proof. He offered to come in and do an explosive runny sheet all over the HR reps desk as proof.

 

[MontyVeda]

You should have got this advice from the hospital not your GP.
Also your “just 2 minutes” is over simplifying things. To issue the Fit note they need to assess your record and review your noted to make sure they are accurately issuing the fit note hence the move to 28 days self certification.

the advice the hospital Dr gave me is pretty much what i copied and pasted from the NHS website, in the post you quoted. When i asked about my return to work, they said to speak to my GP.

 

[Buck]

the advice the hospital Dr gave me is pretty much what i copied and pasted from the NHS website, in the post you quoted. When i asked about my return to work, they said to speak to my GP.

i wasn’t suggesting you were wrong, more the advice given from them was incorrect. Also they do and should issue fit notes. This should be for the duration of your expected recovery.
When I was I’ll a couple of years ago and also had a follow up operation I was given a fit note for 8 weeks and only after that did I need to contact my GP for a continuation, if needed.

it’s so frustrating as you as the patient should be able to concentrate on your recovery and not chasing paperwork!

GWS

 

[Arrowfoot]

Getting curious here with the 28 day rule. What happens if an employee abuses the rule? What recourse does the employer have?

 

[PaulSB]

All i got on being discharged was a prescription for antibiotics and a call-back letter for a chest X-ray on the 21st Jan.

setting up patient access account now ...which is proving useless... There's glitch in the 'link to my practice' page (yes I've tried different browsers) so can't see any personal info. Even searching for 'pneumonia' delivers no results. Chocolate fireguard springs to mind.

When you have the app installed initially you will only be able to see basic information, prescriptions etc. I think, but can't be sure as it's a couple of years since I set up mine, you need an access code from your GP practice.

To get your full medical history, as far back as is digitised, you have to request the practice to enable this. I'm 100% on this aspect as I did it earlier this month in a two minute phone call.

 

[MontyVeda]

i wasn’t suggesting you were wrong, more the advice given from them was incorrect. Also they do and should issue fit notes. This should be for the duration of your expected recovery.
When I was I’ll a couple of years ago and also had a follow up operation I was given a fit note for 8 weeks and only after that did I need to contact my GP for a continuation, if needed.

it’s so frustrating as you as the patient should be able to concentrate on your recovery and not chasing paperwork!

GWS

Currently they don't unless the illness/absence is for 29 days or more... links to current guidance/regulations are on page one of this thread.

Good news is I spoke to my area manager this morning and I will be getting SSP, which is bugger all compared to working but better than nothing.