Can a private GP give me a sick note?
Yes - and it carries the same weight with an employer as one from your NHS GP. Here is when you need one, and when you do not.
Short answer: yes. A private GP can issue a fit note, and employers accept it in the same way as one from your NHS practice. What follows is when you actually need one - because quite often, you do not.
The first seven days
For sickness absence of seven calendar days or less, you do not need a note from any doctor. You self-certify, usually on your employer's own form. That covers the great majority of short absences.
Some employers ask for a doctor's note earlier than that. They are entitled to ask, but it is their requirement rather than a legal one, and they should not expect the NHS to provide it - which is one reason people come to us.
After seven days
Beyond seven days, you need a fit note - officially a Statement of Fitness for Work. It is issued by a doctor and either says you are not fit for work, or that you may be fit with adjustments.
That second option is worth knowing about. A fit note can recommend a phased return, altered hours, amended duties or workplace adaptations. It is often more useful than being signed off entirely, and it is a conversation to have in the appointment.
When a private note makes sense
- Your employer wants one within the first week
- You cannot get an NHS appointment quickly enough and the deadline is now
- You need it backdated to cover a period you have already been off - a doctor can do this based on an assessment of your condition
- You would rather discuss a phased return properly than get a blanket signing-off
What we cannot do
A fit note is a clinical judgement, not a form-filling service. The doctor has to assess you and reach an honest view about your fitness for work. If that view is that you are fit, we will say so. Paying for the appointment does not buy a particular outcome, and any practice that suggests otherwise is not one to trust with your health.
How it works here
A GP appointment, and the note issued in the same visit where appropriate. See our private sick note page, or ring 01482 766555. We are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Services mentioned here
Want to talk it through?
Reception will tell you honestly whether this is something for us. No charge for asking.
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