If you fall ill or get injured, getting to a doctor can be difficult – let alone going to work. However, your employer may demand a medical certificate to prove your reason for the leave. That's where online sick certificates come in.



This is a document from your doctor that acts as evidence of your illness/injury. You receive it digitally and submit it directly to your employer without having to drive anywhere.

This post will reveal the details of this medical documentation and give you step-by-step instructions on how to receive one.

What Is a Sick Certificate?

This medical document is proof from a registered health professional that you were ill/injured during a certain period. If you've been sick for over 2 weeks during a year, your employer may require that you submit this document to access a sick leave.

Since it's viewed as legal evidence, your nearby bulk billing GP will evaluate your condition with their medical knowledge to decide if it's serious enough to keep you off work or qualify you for certain benefits or claims.

What Your Sick Certificate Should Contain?

When you receive a medical certificate, it should have the following information for relevant entities to accept it:



  • Your Identity: This medical document should have your name and birth date. The entity requesting this certificate will be able to cross-reference this information with their documents and file it appropriately.
  • Name and Address of Health Professional: So that the entity requesting this information can validate it, it needs to have the health practitioner's name and contact information. Then, they can receive a copy of the certificate directly from your doctor. However, an employer must take a medical certificate at face value and may not receive any elaboration unless you've approved it.
  • Date of Issuance: The certificate will have the date of when the health professional created the document. Since this date may be different from your sick leave dates, the health practitioner needs to note it.
  • Date of Examination: The certificate will have the date of when you received a consultation during which a health practitioner examined you.
  • Evidence of Inability to Work: When you receive this document for sick leave, it'll mention the severity of your illness/injury. This will prove that you can't work. However, it won't necessarily mention your diagnosis unless you ask or allow your doctor to add this information since it's confidential.
  • Estimated Recovery Time: This document should contain the date when you'll recover (if possible). In particular, if it's for sick leave, you'll need to say when your employer can expect you to return to work.

How to Obtain Online Bulk-Billed Sick Certificates?

If you need a convenient and quick medical certificate, you should:

  1. Find a Bulk Billed Health Professional

To begin locating a doctor who accepts your Medicare coverage or offers rebates for your universal healthcare, you should look for the best online platforms such as:

  • PrimeMedic
  • 13CURE
  • HealthFinder
  • HotDoc

At these medical centers, you can search for a registered practitioner who has positive reviews, specializes in your injury/illness, and offers this service.

Receive Your Consultation

Once you have found the right health professional, you should request an appointment. Since doctors understand that you need to seek out this certificate as quickly as possible for sick leave, many practitioners offer this service within hours. Then, you'll discuss your symptoms. Additionally, the doctor will examine you, diagnose you, and offer you a treatment plan.

Receive Your Medical Certificate

After your consultation, your health professional will submit your certificate either to you or directly to the entity requesting it. 

Furthermore, the medical certificate may include a sickness/injury period that backdates your appointment. In particular, your doctor may provide evidence of your injury/illness if the examination was only a few days after and their findings match your condition's usual progression. Additionally, if there's previous evidence, such as visiting another clinic, they may take that into consideration.

Nevertheless, they may refuse to backdate it since some practitioners view this as an unethical practice. Alternatively, they may object to backdating because they have no evidence to believe you were ill/injured and weeks have passed since you recovered. Still, it is legal for a health practitioner to create a medical certificate after your leave has started.

Conclusion

Now you understand that it's possible to get a medical certificate without extra cost through online doctors. Once you locate a doctor who accepts Medicare, you can schedule a consultation. During this meeting, they'll check your health. Afterward, they'll issue you a medical certificate. If the doctor believes your condition is serious enough, they'll provide the certificate as proof. You can then use this document to support your need for sick leave. So, if you need a sick note, start your search with renowned online medical platforms like PrimeMedic.