Do Online GP Sick Notes Actually Count? What UK Employers Can and Cannot Ask For in 2026

Yes, a sick note issued by an online GP is a real fit note, and UK employers can accept it exactly as they would one from an NHS practice, provided it comes from a registered healthcare professional after a genuine assessment. What matters to an employer is who signed it and what it says, not whether the consultation happened in a surgery. Here is what the rules actually say, what employers can and cannot ask for, and how to get a valid note the same day.

What makes a sick note valid

The document employers call a sick note is formally a fit note, or Statement of Fitness for Work. It can be issued by a doctor, and since July 2022 also by nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists who are appropriately registered. The clinician must assess you and use their professional judgement, the note must state whether you are not fit for work or may be fit with adjustments, and it must be signed, which includes a digital signature.

Nothing in the rules requires the assessment to happen face to face. Government guidance on fit notes recognises telephone and video consultations as legitimate ways to assess someone for a note, provided the clinician has enough information to make a sound judgement. A fit note from a GMC-registered private GP working by phone or video is as much a real fit note as one written in an NHS consulting room.

What your employer can and cannot ask for

For the first seven calendar days of sickness, your employer cannot require a fit note at all: you self-certify, usually on the company's own form or HMRC's SC2. Only after seven days can an employer ask for medical evidence, and the fit note is that evidence. An employer does not have an automatic right to your diagnosis beyond what the note states, and ACAS guidance is clear that fit notes from any registered clinician should be treated the same way.

Occasionally an employer asks for more detail, such as a medical report for an occupational health review. That is a different document, needs your consent, and takes longer. A private GP can help with both, but for ordinary sickness absence the fit note is all that is required.

How an online sick note consultation works

You describe what is wrong, how it affects your work and when it started. The doctor assesses you properly, which for many conditions, such as flu, migraine, back pain, gastroenteritis or a mental health problem, can be done safely by phone or video. If the doctor thinks you need to be examined or that your condition needs different evidence, they will say so and arrange the right next step instead of issuing a note that would not stand up.

Fit notes are normally sent the same day as a secure digital document you can forward to your employer. At The Online GP by The Wellness, phone consultations are £59, video £150 and in-person at Unit 4, 10 Portman Square, London W1H 6AZ £220, with same-day appointments available seven days a week. To get a fit note today, message us on WhatsApp, book your consultation or call 020 3951 3429.

Frequently asked questions

Do online GP sick notes count for Statutory Sick Pay?

Yes. For SSP purposes an employer needs medical evidence after seven days, and a fit note from any registered doctor, including a private or online GP, meets that requirement. The route of the consultation does not change the note's status.

Can my employer refuse a sick note from a private GP?

An employer should not refuse a properly issued fit note simply because it came from a private or online doctor. ACAS and government guidance treat fit notes from all registered clinicians alike. If an employer has a specific occupational health process, they may request a separate report with your consent, but the fit note itself remains valid evidence of sickness.

Can I get a sick note without seeing a doctor in person?

Yes, when the condition can be assessed safely by phone or video, which covers most short-term illnesses. The clinician must still make a genuine assessment, and a responsible service will decline or redirect you if your condition needs a physical examination first.

How quickly can I get a fit note?

Usually the same day. The note is issued during or straight after your consultation as a digital document you can send to your employer immediately.

Can a fit note be backdated?

A doctor can certify a period of sickness that began before the consultation when the evidence supports it, such as your account and any available records. They cannot certify a period they have no reasonable basis for, and a note will never be written to order regardless of the clinical facts.

References

GOV.UK. Fit notes: guidance for patients and employees. gov.uk, 2026.

ACAS. Sick pay and fit notes. acas.org.uk, 2026.

NHS. When do I need a fit note? nhs.uk, 2025.

Written by The Wellness Team and medically reviewed by The Wellness Clinical Team. This article is for information only and does not replace a consultation or your employer's own HR policies.