If you have been ill for 7 days or less you don’t need to see a Doctor. You can complete a Self-Certification form yourself - see below. However, some employers insist on a Doctor's note regardless. A Doctor's note under these circumstances may involve a charge as it would be considered a private report. 
Many employers have their own self-certification forms. If your employer doesn’t have their own form, you complete a form from the Government for this at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-sick-pay-employees-statement-of-sickness-sc2. Please print it, fill it in and hand it in to your employer. You do not need to see a Doctor.

If you have already had a Sick Note (Fit Note) for an illness, your Doctor may not need to see you to issue an additional Fit Note. This can be completed online by clicking the link below. Alternatively, call the surgery on 01968 672612

 Request for a sickness certificate - Penicuik Medical Practice

All guidance below as per Government advice.

• If you are a patient personally affected by possible COVID-19 and isolating for seven days:-
  Patients can and should self-certify for the first seven days as normal if they are unfit to work. You do not need to contact the practice, although your employer is advised to make a note of absence for Statutory Sick Pay purposes.
• If you are a patient personally affected by COVID-19 and remain unwell for over seven days:-
  Employers have been advised by the Government to exercise discretion and not request sick notes. This is to allow GPs to focus on caring for patients. You do not need to contact the practice, although your employer is advised to make a note of absence for Statutory Sick Pay purposes.
• If you are isolating for 14 days as per government advice (because of a household contact possibly affected by COVID-19), or you are a member of an 'at risk' group who is also following government advice:- Employers are responsible for putting in place arrangements for home/remote working where this is possible. Where it is not possible, the employee may self-certify and return to work after the absence, which the employer can authorise as per government advice. If a patient becomes unwell during or after this time, point 1 and 2 then apply. You do not need to contact the practice. If you need paperwork for this, you can get an isolation note from 111.nhs.uk/isolation-note/ by filling in the online form. You do not need to contact the practice.
• Those patients in full time education:
  There is no NHS requirement to issue certification to schools or colleges to confirm absence. These organisations must work with parents and students directly to ensure that any absence is appropriately recorded. This gets rid of the need a ‘doctor’s note’. You do not need to contact the practice.