Sick Certification for Students

Both GP practices at this Health Centre issue signed medical certificates for students registered with their practice.  The student must have seen the GP or Nurse Practitioner during the period of illness.  These notes will be issued without charge under the following circumstances:-

• the student is absent from or leaves a formal examination of the University because of the illness
• the student has been unable to attend any lectures or to carry out any course work or assignments for at least 7 days. We need a written confirmation from an appropriate Tutor.
• the student seeks an extension to a submission deadline for a significant piece of assessed work that is part of his/her final award. We need a written confirmation from an appropriate Tutor.
• when a student has been advised to withdraw from University on medical grounds

This arrangement mirrors the system for persons in employment.  It is expected that departments accept the verbal notification of sickness from a student for the first 3 days, the student can provide a self certificate (SC2) for four to seven days and a doctor’s medical certificate for over 7 consecutive days of illness which prevents students attending lectures or carrying out course work or assignments.  Self certification should be adequate in all other situations than those above, including short absences from compulsory elements of the curriculum.

If the student requests the practice to issue a signed medical certificate it is essential that:

• the illness would have prevented the student carrying out any course work &/or assignments or attending any lectures for at least 7 days (except for requests for missing an exam).
• if leaving or missing an exam the student should seek clinical advice immediately.  If the health centre is closed visit the walk-in centre or contact the out-of-hours service.
• the student has been seen by the doctor or nurse for treatment at the health centre during this condition
• we will not book an appointment with either a nurse or doctor for the sole purpose of issuing a signed certificate.  e.g when over-the-counter medication from a pharmacist is the appropriate treatment .

The Self-Certificate Form / Personal Sickness Certificate (SC2) is available from the Health Centre Reception or can be downloaded from the web-site and completed by the student.  This self certification will be the normal process if classes are missed, extensions to deadlines for routine course work are requested by the student or for other reasons that the University require a medical note. 

The student is responsible for giving the form to the appropriate person at the University.  Duplicates will not be issued.

All certificates or letters are issued only with the consent of the patient.  It is not possible for a department to have any enquiries about a student answered unless the student gives informed consent.