How Fit Notes Work

If you've been signed off sick for more than seven days, your employer will usually ask for a fit note before you can claim Statutory Sick Pay or take extended time off. Getting hold of one shouldn't add stress to an already difficult time.

With Doctor Care Anywhere, you can speak to a clinician by video or phone from wherever you are, and — if they assess that a fit note is appropriate — receive a digital copy by email, ready to send straight to your employer.

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A fit note (officially the Statement of Fitness for Work) is issued by a healthcare professional to confirm how a health condition affects your ability to work. It replaced the old "sick note" system and is designed to focus on what you can do, not just what you can't. You can also get an online sick note after a remote consultation, as long as the clinician is able to assess your condition.

You don't need one for the first seven days of illness — you can self-certify during that period. Beyond that, most employers will ask for a fit note as evidence to support your absence.

Since 2022, fit notes no longer have to come from a GP. A wider range of registered healthcare professionals — including Advanced Clinical Practitioners and Physiotherapists — can issue them, as long as the condition falls within their professional scope.

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1. Book an appointment

Choose a video or phone consultation at a time that suits you — including evenings and weekends.

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2. Speak to a clinician

Talk through your symptoms and how they're affecting your ability to work, just as you would in a face-to-face appointment.

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3. Receive your fit note

If your clinician agrees a fit note is clinically appropriate, it will be issued digitally and sent to your email — ready to forward to your employer or HR team.

 

Frequently asked questions

A DCA clinician can issue a fit note for up to two weeks at a time. If you need further time off, consecutive fit notes can be issued for up to six weeks in total, after which you’ll be referred back to your NHS GP. 

Yes. Digital and telephone or video consultations are recognised as valid ways to assess and issue a fit note.

Yes. A digitally issued fit note carries the same legal standing as a paper one signed in person.