what to say to a dr so i dont have to work over 8 hours a day

Your physician will give yous a fit notation if your wellness affects what you tin practise at work.

This guide explains what unlike sections of your fit note mean, and how you can utilize it to talk with your dr. and employer about returning to work.

Changes to the fit note

From April 2022, you may notice changes to the fit note you receive from your doctor as a new version of the grade is rolled out.

The requirement for the dr. to sign the class in ink has been removed and replaced past the issuer's name and profession being included in the new form.

There volition be a menstruum during which both the new and previous version of the fit notes are legally valid.

How the fit note works

Doing the right kind of work is skillful for your health, including if yous have a health condition.

You practise non always demand to be fully recovered to go back to piece of work, and in fact it tin ofttimes assistance your recovery. Your fit annotation can assistance you get dorsum to work when you are able to.

Your dr. will non automatically assess that you lot are not fit for piece of work if you have a health condition. Instead, they will discuss with you how your health affects what yous can exercise at piece of work.

They will retrieve nearly your fitness for work in general rather than simply your current job.

Yous should ask your doctor to give you practical advice in the fit notation nigh what yous tin do at work, rather than simply tape your health condition.

You should then discuss this communication with your employer, to see if they can make any changes to help you return to work.

How work affects your health

If your doctor doesn't ask you about how your wellness affects what yous tin do at work, you lot should heighten the issue yourself.

Research shows that work tin can be good for your physical and mental health, lowers the risk of experiencing financial difficulties, and improves your overall quality of life.

You do non e'er need to be 100% 'fit' to be able to do some work, indeed, piece of work tin can help your recovery from wellness issues or support your all round wellbeing if you have a long term wellness condition.

Your doctor is there to assistance you with your health. Doctors empathize that work can be good for your health, and will talk to you nearly what you can do and whether you lot could return to work without making your health worse.

Getting a fit note

Your dr. will merely requite you a fit note if your health affects your fettle for work. The fit note is your property and you should go on it. Your employer tin have a copy if they want 1 for their records.

If you are fit for work, you practice non need a fit note. Y'all too practise not need i if you are off ill for seven calendar days or less, because yous can cocky-certify your exit for this time – see guidance on employee's statement of sickness to merits Statutory Ill Pay.

Your doctor cannot give yous a fit note for non medical issues (such as issues at home or relationship trouble at work). They may, all the same, exist able to advise other sources of help – some are listed in further support.

Rules of the fit note

Yous should get a fit note from the md who is treating you. This will usually be your GP, but if you are getting handling in infirmary you should ask for one from your hospital doctor (if you lot do not already take i). Fit notes are ordinarily printed but can exist handwritten, but must exist authorised by a medico and the address of the practise must be included on information technology. Indistinguishable fit notes can just be issued if the original has been lost.

Fit notes can be handwritten, computer-generated and printed out or computer-generated and sent digitally to you. It must include the issuer's name and profession and the address of the medical practice. Indistinguishable fit notes can only be issued if the original has been lost.

If your fit note does not include the doctor's name or signature it is not valid and could be rejected past your employer or the Department for Piece of work and Pensions (DWP) and you lot may be asked to get a new fit note

The fit note is classed as advice from your dr.. Your employer can determine whether or not to accept information technology, and your doctor cannot go involved in whatsoever disputes between yous and your employer. Yous may wish to seek assist from a trade marriage or ACAS (Informational, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) in such situations.

How your doctor volition assess your fitness for piece of work

Your physician will assess your fitness for piece of work by considering how your wellness affects what y'all can practice at work (for example your stamina and concentration).

They will decide whether you are not fit for piece of work of any kind, or whether y'all may be fit for work taking business relationship of their advice.

Your doctor will not automatically appraise that you lot are not fit for work if you have a health condition, and they will consider your fitness for work in general instead of just thinking about your current job.

This gives yous and your employer the maximum flexibility to recollect most ways to help y'all go back to work (which might include moving yous to a unlike chore for a while or changing your duties).

You can use your fit note to support a merits to benefits. More than information tin be establish on how to make a claim on the fit note itself, or on the benefits pages.

If your fit note says that you are non fit for piece of work

Show the fit annotation to your employer to arrange your sick pay. They can take a copy simply yous should go on the original.

It'south usually a good idea to proceed in touch on with your employer while y'all are away, so that you are ready when it's time to go back. You can become advice about sick pay from your trade spousal relationship or see information near sick pay.

If your fit note says that you lot may be fit for work

Your doctor will give you lot advice in the rest of your fit note about how your health affects what you can practise at work. Make sure y'all discuss this with them and understand their advice.

You should discuss your fit note with your employer to see if they can help you lot render to work; this won't necessarily hateful doing your old chore, or working full fourth dimension. We know that employers want to help their employees return to work, and can often brand changes to the workplace or job duties.

Your local safety representative or trade spousal relationship may be able to aid y'all in your discussions, and the checklist below may help you lot gear up for them:

• look at the tick boxes and comment box for advice on what you tin do at work, and how your employer could support you
• check how long your fit note lasts and whether y'all are expected to exist fit for work when it expires – explaining the sections of the fit note explains how y'all can do this
• recollect of possible changes to help you return to work

It may be helpful to put any changes you hold down in writing, then that everyone is clear on what has been agreed. Run across an example of someone using their fit annotation to help them get back to work.

If your employer cannot make any changes, they do not have to. In these circumstances, you should care for your fit note every bit if it said that you are non fit for work and utilise it equally explained in a higher place. You should not go back to your doctor for a new fit note.

The tick boxes

The tick boxes enable your physician to point the kind of general adaptations that might help you lot return to piece of work. This is not bounden on you lot, and you should feel free to discuss other options. Adaptations include:

• a phased render to work: a gradual increment in work duties or hours
• altered hours: irresolute your piece of work times or total hours
• amended duties: changing your work duties
• workplace adaptations: changing aspects of your workplace

Your physician should use the comments box to give you more detailed communication nigh the impact of your condition on what you tin do at work. This will be advice about what you can practice at work in general, and will not exist tied to your electric current job. This gives you and your employer maximum flexibility to hash out means to help you lot render to work.

It is helpful for your physician to requite practical data most what y'all tin can practise at piece of work, eg 'should non drive, take regular breaks if using a display screen' instead of simply 'dry eyes'. If your doctor thinks that your job may be affecting your health, they will also point this in the comments box.

The information in this box is ofttimes very helpful for employers, so you should ask your doctor to provide advice here if they can. Enquire your doc to include details about how your status affects what you tin can exercise at piece of work, rather than but a diagnosis or description of your symptoms.

Possible changes

Check further support for other resources which could aid, and guidance for item weather condition. Y'all should discuss anything that you remember would help. Some examples are listed below:

• changing to a unlike job or location
• reduced or flexible hours, or a phased return to piece of work
• irresolute work premises or equipment
• changing your duties / giving some of your tasks to somebody else
• providing boosted training or supervision
• providing a reader or interpreter
• working from home
• arranging a mentor or work buddy
• working in a team instead of past yourself (or vice versa)
• arranging for an occupational health assessment.

Going back to piece of work

Yous should get back to piece of work equally soon as yous feel able to and with your employer's understanding – this may be before your fit note runs out. Y'all do not need to go back to see your doctor before going back to work. Your doctor cannot give you a fit notation stating that y'all are 'fit for piece of work'.

For a small number of jobs there are dissever processes to ensure information technology is safe for you to return. If this applies to y'all, your employer will tell you. You do not demand a fit annotation to cover this menstruum while you wait for your employer'south cess and your doctor will not exist able to issue further fit notes to cover information technology.

Explaining the sections of the fit annotation

Fit note issued without physical signature

1. The date your dr. assessed yous, either in person or over the telephone, or when they considered a report from another healthcare professional person.

2. The condition(south) affecting your fitness for work. It's commonly best for your doctor to be every bit accurate as possible, but they can enter a less precise diagnosis if being too detailed might damage your position with your employer.

three. Your md's assessment that y'all are either:

• not fit for work – you are not fit for work of any kind
• may be fit for work taking business relationship of the following advice – you lot may be fit for work, taking business relationship of your doctor's advice in the fit annotation. This does non necessarily hateful doing your current job

4. Your doctor's advice well-nigh the impact of your wellness status. Meet the comments box for more than information.

5. The period that your doc'southward advice covers. This volition either be from the date of the assessment (Box 1), or betwixt a particular start and cease date. These dates are inclusive (so a fit notation dated from two April to 10 April will no longer use from 11 Apr onwards). This section may cover a previous period if your doctor thinks that your condition has afflicted your fitness for work before your cess. This can be for whatever fourth dimension upwardly to an indefinite menstruation.

6. Whether your doctor needs to meet yous at the end of your fit notation. If they look you will be fit for work at the end of the fit note, they will indicate that they practise not demand to see you again.

seven. The proper noun of the issuer.

viii. The profession of the issuer.

9. The date the fit annotation is issued. This may not ever be the same as the date of the assessment.

Fit notation with physical signature

1. The date your doc assessed y'all, either in person or over the telephone, or when they considered a written report from another healthcare professional.

2. The condition(s) affecting your fitness for work. It'due south usually best for your doctor to be as accurate every bit possible, but they tin can enter a less precise diagnosis if existence too detailed might harm your position with your employer.

3. Your doctor'south cess that you are either:

• non fit for work – you are not fit for work of whatever kind
• may be fit for work taking account of the following advice – you may be fit for work, taking account of your doc's advice in the fit note. This does not necessarily hateful doing your electric current task

4. Your doctor'due south communication most the impact of your wellness condition. See the comments box for more data.

v. The period that your doc's communication covers. This will either be from the date of the assessment (Box i), or between a item kickoff and end date. These dates are inclusive (and so a fit note dated from 2 April to 10 April will no longer apply from 11 April onwards). This section may cover a previous period if your doctor thinks that your condition has affected your fitness for piece of work before your assessment. This can be for any time upwards to an indefinite menses.

half dozen. Whether your doctor needs to encounter you at the end of your fit annotation. If they await you will exist fit for piece of work at the cease of the fit annotation, they volition bespeak that they practise not need to meet you once more.

7. Your doctor needs to sign the fit notation.

viii. The date the fit note is issued. This may non always be the aforementioned every bit the date of the cess.

Of import: You tin can go back to work at any time you feel able to (including earlier the end of the fit annotation) without going dorsum to see your doctor, even if your medico has indicated that they need to appraise you again.

Illustrative examples of how the fit note works

Using the fit note to get dorsum to piece of work

Case study 1: Working from home

A proof reader for a publishing company has a fit note from his GP saying that he has a common cold and cystic fibrosis merely that he may be fit for work taking account of the post-obit advice. The workplace adaptations box is ticked. His fit note has a duration of 10 days and his doctor has indicated that they do not need to run into him over again in one case it expires.

The advice in the comments box reads: Your employee cannot travel into the office considering he is at local high gamble of developing a chest infection whilst he has a cold. The increased risk is due to his pre-existing chest condition – cystic fibrosis. He is able work from dwelling house during this period.

The employee and his employer discuss his fit annotation agree that he should work from home for the side by side 10 days. His dominate emails him some piece of work to practise, and he does non proceed to sick go out. Afterward 10 days, he has recovered from his cold and comes back to piece of work every bit normal without going dorsum to run into his GP.

Case study 2: A delivery driver who can't drive

A delivery driver for a major logistics firm has just had laser eye surgery. He has been told that he should not bulldoze for two weeks.

His GP explains that the fit annotation is near his general fitness for work, and discusses what other tasks he can do. The GP indicates on his fit note that he may be fit for piece of work. The comments box reads 'Dry eyes, may feel temporary blurring of vision. Should not drive for ii weeks. Tin can still perform other reasonable physical tasks. Mental function unaffected. If he uses a VDU (Visual Display Unit) he should take regular short breaks as per standard guidance.' The GP ticks 'amended duties'.

His GP indicates that they will not need to assess him once more at the end of the fit notation because they await him to be back to normal by then. The driver and his employer hash out the advice in the fit note.

Although he should not bulldoze, the driver's knowledge of the company and its operations means they make up one's mind he tin can work in a back part part for the 2 weeks. The employee therefore keeps his total pay, and keeps in the routine of working. After two weeks, his eyesight is back to normal and he returns to his previous duties without going back to come across his GP.

Further support

Managing health conditions at work

Access to Work provides practical and fiscal support to people with a physical or mental wellness condition or inability to help them beginning piece of work or continue a job. This can include paying towards aids or equipment; support workers; communication support at interviews; support services; or travel to and in work.

Recovery from Surgery – Royal College of Surgeons of England provides applied tips and communication most getting back to work afterwards common surgical procedures.

Recovering well from gynaecological procedures – Purple Higher of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists provides advice on recovery, including return to work, following gynaecological surgery.

Work and Mental Wellness – Royal College of Psychiatrists provides communication about returning to work after a period of mental sick wellness.

Piece of work and cancer - Macmillan provides information nigh piece of work and cancer for patients, carers, employers and healthcare professionals.

Upper limb disorders: Occupational aspects of direction - Purple College of Physicians Evidence based guidance for employees.

Fit notes can only be issued for medical bug. Your doctor may be able to refer you to support for other personal or social problems. For example:

Problems at work

For aid on dealing with bullying, harassment or discrimination and preventing or managing disputes and conflict at work contact ACAS or phone 0300 1231100.
Your local trade union or rubber representative may besides be able to assist with issues at work.

Support for carers

NHS Social care and back up guide

Debt issues

Citizens Advice – Help with debt

National Debtline

Career advice

National Careers Service

Assist with relationships

Relate

Occupational health services

Occupational health support can be very helpful in complex cases and when work may exist affecting your wellness. Occupational health services are often provided by large employers and sometimes past the NHS or local authorities. Trade or regional business associations may have details of occupational health providers or other sources of help. For details of providers in your area, contact:

Commercial Occupational Health Provider Assocation

NHS Health at Work

Supporting Organisational Health and Well existence Professionals

Safety Constructive Quality Occupational Health Service: listing of approved occupational health providers.

More data on the fit annotation

For more information on the fit note see fit note guidance.

Of import information

This is only a guide and does not cover every circumstance. We have done our best to brand sure that the information is right as of April 2022. Information technology is possible that some of the information is oversimplified, or may become inaccurate over time, for case because of changes in the law.

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Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-fit-note-a-guide-for-patients-and-employees/the-fit-note-guidance-for-patients-and-employees

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