New medical certificate guidelines

When it comes to medical certificates there are several points to remember:

  • It is important when writing a certificate to have medical records which substantiate the certificate
  • A doctor must always ensure that the patient’s right to confidentiality is respected and that a diagnosis is not included in the certificate without the patient’s consent, and
  • If a certificate is written by a doctor after the patient has taken sick leave, the certificate must state the date it was written, it must not be backdated but it may cover the medically justifiable period that in the opinion of the doctor the patient would have been unfit for work.

The Council’s new Medical Certificate Guidelines can be found at: medical_certificate_guideline_-_medicalcouncilnsw-june_2018.pdf