Poppy Bilderbeck
The UK Government has introduced new rules surrounding sick leave.
Gone are the days where you have to fight for the stretched time of a GP while battling a pounding migraine or throwing up every 10 seconds in a desperate bid to get a sick note to send to work.
The government has relaxed its rules around taking sick leave in a bid to relieve pressure off not only employees but also the NHS.
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The new rules come into action today (1 July).
As per its website, under 'Taking sick leave,' the government has revealed you can now also get a sick note from a pharmacist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, registered nurse or hospital doctor.
"The healthcare professional needs to assess the employee’s fitness for work before giving a fit note," it continues.
If you've been ill for over seven days when you ask for a sick note, then it should be given to you for free. However, if you've been ill for seven days or less you may be charged by the healthcare professional.
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If an employee can't get a sick note, an Allied Health Professional (AHP) Health and Work Report can be given to your employer too.
Occupational therapists, physiotherapists and podiatrists have the ability to hand out this sort of documentation.
One rule which remains is that employees 'do not need to give their employer a fit note or other proof of sickness from a healthcare professional' if off work for seven days or less.
You can just state you're sick via 'self-certification'.
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"The employer and employee will agree on how the employee should do this. They might need to fill in a form or send details of their sick leave by email," the website continues.
The government states that the employee must keep the original note and give a copy to their employer.
If an employee is sick because of coronavirus they can go online and get the NHS 111 to provide them with an 'isolation note'.
"They do not have to go to their GP or a hospital," it states.
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Employees only need to give their employer a 'fit note' (a.k.a. 'sick note) 'if they've been ill for more than seven days in a row and have taken sick leave'.
"This includes non-working days, such as weekends and bank holidays," it notes.
It continues: "The fit note will say the employee is either ‘not fit for work’ or ‘may be fit for work’.
"If it says the employee ‘may be fit for work’, employers should discuss any changes that might help the employee return to work (for example, different hours or tasks).
"The employee must be treated as ‘not fit for work’ if there’s no agreement on these changes."
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The government hopes in widening the range of healthcare professionals who can give out sick notes that doctors will able achieve an additional 50 million GP appointments a year by 2024.
The NHS app is also set to undergo improvements to make it quicker and easier for patients to chat with GPs online and manage their own records and appointments.
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: "Slashing unnecessary bureaucracy is key to ensuring more patients can see their GP quickly and get the care they need as we bust the Covid backlogs."
If you’ve been affected by coronavirus and want up to date advice, visit the Gov.uk help page here. If you need medical help call NHS 111 or visit online