Working Age People
Getting an appointment when you are working
It can be hard to fit in routine appointments to a busy work schedule. To try to make this easier we do make pre-bookable appointments available which can usually be booked about 4 weeks in advance. These start at 8.30am, and the latest are bookable at 5.50pm. To book these appointments it is usually best to wait until after 10am when the telephones are a bit quieter.
It is also possible to book appointments online, as well as order prescriptions online which means you can make these arrangements anytime of day or night.
Sick notes
If you are not well enough to do your usual occupation, you may require a sick note.
You will require a sick note from your doctor if you are absent from work due to sickness for more than 7 days. This is regardless of whether or not these are working days. Ideally you should make an appointment to review your condition before these 7 days are completed to review your situation.
If you are off work for less than 7 days then you do not need a sick note from your doctor and your employer is not entiltled to ask you for one. You can self certify during this time, and can obtain a form for this either from your employer or from this Government link. Please note that we are no longer able to get hold of these forms, as the Government now expects them to be obtained from the website.
Benefits advice and financial advice
If you are not able to work for a prolonged period of time, you may need advice concerning benefits. The job centre can help here, and also the Citizen's Advice Bureau are there to help you. Follow the link on their logo to find the Godalming branch. They can also give very helpful advice on managing debt.
Support for disability
There are some fantastic local support groups and charities including:
The Surrey Disabled People's Partnership
Community Partners for people with learning disability
The Multiple sclerosis Society, Guildford
Surrey Association for Visual Impairment
The Cellar Cafe in Godalming
If there are problems at work and you feel you need to raise concerns, you may find the charity Public Concern at Work to be a useful resource
Selected blog posts which might be of interest
Nagging never works - why is it that we find it so hard to act upon health advice?
Choices, choices, choices - what do we really mean when we talk about patient choice?
Statins - time to change the one-size fits all approach - the importance of informed choice