Fit Note After Hospital Care

For fit notes (sick notes) after a hospital admission, outpatient appointment, or operation, it is the hospital doctor’s responsibility to provide one before you leave. Despite any advice to contact your GP, it is the legal duty of the treating hospital doctor to issue your fit note if needed.

If you have already left the hospital without a fit note, please contact your consultant’s secretary. The hospital is responsible for issuing the first fit note after your attendance. Ensure the fit note covers the full required duration—there is no rule limiting hospital fit notes to a maximum of two weeks. If your consultant has recommended a longer period off work, the fit note should reflect this.