Certificate Requests including Fitness to Fly

Requests for various certificates to be signed by a doctor

Unfortunately more and more organisations are sending people to their doctors in order to obtain ‘a note’ to certify that they are fit and well for many and various activities. This often represents an attempt to absolve organisations and individuals from all responsibility for any medical problem that might subsequently arise. As well as being time consuming and usually unnecessary, such certificates may even imply some sort of liability on our part.

We have therefore decided as a practice, in line with many other doctors, not to sign such pieces of paper unless there is a very good reason to do so, which will be at the discretion of the doctor and will involve a fee. If any of our patients require a formal medical examination prior to an activity, on behalf of a third party, then we may provide this service, by arrangement, and it will be charged on a private basis.

Fitness to Fly Letters

Airlines may ask patients to provide letters or medical certificates confirming that a person’s medical condition is currently stable and a patient is 'fit to fly', this often affects pregnant women. GPs are not specially trained in aviation medicine and not insured to certify whether patients are fit to fly. We also do not have direct access to the ante natal records of our pregnant patients. Unfortunately we are therefore unable to provide any such certification.

We understand that this decision may cause inconvenience to some of our patients however, our primary responsibility is to ensure the safety and well-being of all our patients and we believe this decision aligns with that responsibility. If your midwife is also unable to provide this service, you may wish to access your records via the NHS app and use this information to request certification via a private provider.