This section includes Referrals, Medical Certificates and Requests for Medical Information
Medical certificates & extensions
You only need a doctor’s note if you are unable to work and are ill for longer than seven calendar days.
Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website
Referrals
You’re entitled to ask for a referral for specialist treatment on the NHS. However, whether you’ll get the referral depends on what your GP feels is clinically necessary in your case. If you wish to be referred to a specialist in a particular field, such as a surgeon or a gynaecologist (a specialist in the female reproductive system), you should see the GP you’re registered with. This is because all your medical records are held by the surgery. Your GP also generally understands your health history and treatments better than anyone else and will base any decision for a specialist referral on this knowledge.
If you ask your GP to refer you to a specialist, they’ll probably suggest that you first try various tests or treatment options to see whether your condition improves. Generally, you cannot self-refer to a specialist within the NHS, except when accessing sexual health clinics or A&E treatment.
A specialist will only see you with a letter of referral from your GP. The letter will give the specialist essential background information, such as your medical history, and it’ll also contain details that the specialist needs to pay particular attention to.
Examples of referrals could include:
- Scans or tests for a diagnosis of a condition or health issue
- Wellbeing services, like smoking cessation or diabetes management
- Physiotherapy
- Minor surgery.
If you want to see a private specialist, you’re still advised to get a letter of referral from your GP. Whether you see a private specialist, with or without a GP referral, or are referred to an NHS specialist, your GP is not obliged to accept the specialist’s recommendations.
Requests for medical information
Medical records hold information about you. They are also sometimes called health records. You’ll have separate records for any NHS service you go to including your GP surgery, hospital, dentist or opticians. How to get your record depends on which record it is.
Your GP record includes information like any conditions or allergies you have and any medicine you’re taking.
You can get your GP record by logging into your account using the NHS App or by visiting https://access.login.nhs.uk/enter-email
First, you need to register for online services and prove who you are. You can do this when you create an account
Subject Access Request (SAR)
When you need a full copy of your medical record. You will need to complete a request form (available from Reception), please remember the surgery has one calendar month, from receipt of the request, to provide this information.
