Coventry GP

During this time you can self-certify that you are ill, using a form from your employer or form SC2 from the Inland Revenue

If you are unable to carry out your usual occupation, we can sign a white form called a MED 3. However you need to have a clinical consultation in order to sign this certificate. This may be in person or by telephone. This note covers you for 2 weeks in the first instance but subsequent notes can be for longer.

To cover you for social security and statutory sick pay over a longer time, we can sign a pink form called a MED 5. This form can cover you for up to one additional month. If you have been in hospital, we cannot sign the form until we have seen the discharge letter, but once we have received the discharge letter, we can backdate the form if appropriate. If you need an extension of this certificate, you will need a clinical consultation before we can sign it.

After a longer period of illness we can sign a green form called a MED 4. This is normally requested by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This can either cover you for a specific length of time or until an agreed date. Sometimes the Benefits Agency asks whether you are fit to travel for 90 minutes by public transport to an examination centre. The doctor can use the MED 4 to give this information.

If someone who has caring responsibility, for example the mother of young children, becomes ill, we can sign a sick note for another member of the household to take time off work to care for the dependents. We must include on the note the name of the sick person and the nature of their illness.