Rainydaze

In the past I've usually had a doctor's appointment anyway and it was easy to get a doctor's letter at the time.

I'm not well enough for work tomorrow (honestly!) but it doesn't merit an actual appointment with a doctor (and the nasty fee that goes with it).

Could I ring any clinic, explain my circumstances and ask for a doctor's line to cover my absence from work tomorrow? And do doctors charge for this service?

Thanks in advance for any advice

Bermudashorts

You might not need a letter for one day?

Sorry cannot answer your actual question, not been to doctors here yet.

Rainydaze

Thanks Bermudashorts.

Unfortunately my employer asks for a letter if you are off on the Monday or Friday, to prevent unofficial long weekends

Just my luck to be sick on a Sunday...

Kooky.

Do you have Medicare? If so find a drop-in clinic that bulk bills and it shouldn't cost you a thing. (I know there's one in Newtown and another in Neutral Bay but not sure where you are.)

Hope you feel better soon.

Rainydaze

Thanks Seasider

I'm in the Northern Beaches and go to various GP surgeries. Not sure if we have any bulk billers locally but I'll ring my nearest clinic tomorrow and see what the craic is anyway.

Cheers again

chris and farideh

If it's sick note you want you don't need to go to your doctor to get one, you could also go to your local pharmacy they can do one for you, in QLD they charge you $10, it was done for me & my employer accept it.

paddyo

Local pharmacy??

I am in NSW, same situation as OP, I can self sign for 2 days unless its on a friday/monday. I also live on Northern Beaches. If I truly am not well enough to go to the doctors I just don't go but you can call and Online NSW Healthcare and they will advise you of your options.
But, I am also lucky enough that my employer trusts me, if I don;t have a note then they take my word for it. I bloody dare them to challenge me!! lol

asher

No Dr worth their salt will issue you with a sick note without seeing you first, except in unusual circumstances ie you are very well known to the Dr and have a recurring illness.

best to make an appt with a bulk billing Dr i see a private dr I like for most stuff but also have a bulk billing dr i go to for a referral letter or minor stuff.
Hope you feel better soon

Kooky.

Yep I've found that to be a good tactic too. Have my specific doc for serious/long-term stuff and also the place I can go to in a hurry if I need some antibiotics.

Beedubya

I was in the same position on Friday, really peed off that I had to get out of my sick bed to get a doctors note for one day

I was coughing and sneezing that much it's a wonder I didn't have a car accident! But I did phone up first to make sure it was a bulk biller, no appointment necessary just hang around the waiting room with all the other sick people.

The company I now work for has this Friday or Monday sick day policy, in my last Oz company we only used to have to do that if it was either side of a public holiday or long weekend....

chris and farideh

yep, recently my daughter was extremely sick, I went to the pharmacy near my work place to get her some counter medicine, the pharmacist came over asked a few question & then told me to take my daughter to the hospital immediately then she wrote me sick note as a parent carer to give to my employer, I had no problem & was paid for the time off.