The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched an online service for people to obtain isolation notes if they have been hit by the coronavirus.
It said this will provide them with evidence for their employers that they have been advised to self-isolate because they or someone they live with have symptoms.
The notes can be obtained without contacting a doctor through the NHS website, NHS 111 online or the NHS app by providing answers to a series of questions, following which they will be sent a note by email. Users without email can have the note sent to a trusted family member or friend, or directly to their employer.
DHSC said the service, built by NHS Digital, can also be used to generate an isolation note on behalf of someone else.
The notes are valid on self-certification for seven days, and from day eight many will be required by employers to provide medical evidence.
Easing burden
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock, said: “It is absolutely vital we do everything we can to ease the burden on our healthcare professionals, allowing them to spend as much time as possible with those patients that need them most.
“Digital isolation notes will provide reassurance to those self-isolating and their employers while also reducing the pressure on our NHS, so they can continue doing all they can to protect the people of this country and save lives.”
Image by Marco Verch, CC BY SA 2.0
