Doctor’s Letter

In a nutshell, a doctor’s letter is any document written and signed by a licensed medical professional. They are usually given to patients when they fall ill and will usually provide evidence that they are not currently fit to work, travel, etc.

The letter will usually contain information about a patient’s medical history, current health condition and/or treatment plan. A doctor’s letter can be used for a variety of purposes, such as to provide evidence of a medical condition or disability, to support a request for accommodations, or to certify that a patient is fit to travel or participate in certain activities.

A doctor’s letter may include the following details about the patient:

• Name
• Age
• Contact Details
• Description of the Patient’s Medical Condition
• Relevant Test Results and Imaging Studies
• Summary of Treatment Plan
• Recommendations for Further Evaluation and/or Care

The letter should also include the following information about the Doctor:

• Name
• Credentials, including GMC number
• Practice

A doctor’s letter is considered a confidential medical record and should only be shared with authorised individuals or organisations. In some cases, a doctor’s letter may need to be notarised or certified by a notary public to provide additional verification of its authenticity in a number of situations.

A doctor’s letter should only be issued by a licensed medical professional after examining the patient. The process for obtaining a doctor’s letter can vary slightly depending on the purpose of the letter and the policies of the doctor or medical facility.

For example, the doctor’s letter could simply be to confirm you are ill and will need a few days off work to recover or a full medical screening to confirm whether you are physically fit to take on a certain kind of employment.

Several situations exist whereby an individual will need a doctor’s letter notarised. These include, but are not limited to:

A notarised doctor’s letter can be required for employment to verify a person’s medical fitness for the job. Some employers may require a notarised doctor’s letter as part of their pre-employment screening process, especially if the job involves working with vulnerable populations or in a hazardous environment.

This medical exam will likely need to be repeated on a yearly or biyearly basis. It is essential for employers who need to make informed decisions about hiring, job duties, and workplace safety. A notarised doctor’s letter can help to ensure that employees are medically fit for their job duties, which promotes a safe and healthy workplace environment.

A notarised doctor’s letter may be required for immigration purposes to provide evidence of a person’s medical history and current health status. In the UK, the Home Office requires certain individuals to undergo a medical examination as part of the immigration process, and a notarised doctor’s letter can serve as proof of the examination.

The notarisation of the doctor’s letter is typically required to provide additional verification and authentication of the document. It confirms that the letter has been verified by a qualified notary public and is therefore more reliable.

Overall, a notarised doctor’s letter is important for immigration purposes to provide evidence of a person’s medical condition and history, which can be used to determine their eligibility for entry or residency in the UK.

Requiring a notarised doctor’s letter for the verification of an illness is a common practice in preventing fraudulent claims from being made to insurance companies.

Often an insurance provider may request a notarised doctor’s letter to verify that the medical treatment you are seeking is medically necessary. This ensures that the insurance company is not paying for unnecessary medical treatments or procedures.

On the other hand, insurance companies may need to verify that you have received the treatment you claimed. . This helps prevent fraudulent claims to ensure that the insurance company is only paying for treatments that were received.

Requiring a notarised doctor’s letter for the verification of an illness is a common practice in preventing fraudulent claims from being made to insurance companies.

Often an insurance provider may request a notarised doctor’s letter to verify that the medical treatment you are seeking is medically necessary. This ensures that the insurance company is not paying for unnecessary medical treatments or procedures.

On the other hand, insurance companies may need to verify that you have received the treatment you claimed. This helps prevent fraudulent claims to ensure that the insurance company is only paying for treatments that were received.

The following legal proceedings may need one (if not multiple) notarised doctor’s letters:

Personal Injury Claim – A notarised doctor’s letter may be necessary to support and to prove the extent of the injuries in a Personal Injury Claim.

Medical Malpractice Claims – In this case, a doctor’s letter may be required as evidence that the standard of care was not met.  It will serve as proof of any negligence or wrongdoing on the medical professional’s part.

Workers’ Compensation Claims – Injury or illness experienced as a direct result of being in a workplace will be eligible for workers’ compensation. The notarised doctor’s letter can corroborate the extent of your injuries or illness.

Disability Claims – As with workers’ compensation, a notarised doctor’s letter is necessary to verify the extent of the disability. Only a medical professional can substantiate the extent to which the disability affects an individual’s ability to work.

To notarise your doctor’s letter, we will need you to provide us with the original letter issued by your doctor as well as your identification documents, such as a your passport and a proof of address.

We will make a copy of the original Doctor’s letter and notarise the copy. We can also notarise the original and this will involve contacting the Doctor to confirm they issued the document

Depending on the country you will be using the Doctor’s letter in, you may need to have it apostilled by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Original Doctor’s letters, if containing the doctor’s wet ink signature, name, practise and GMC number, can be apostilled directly without needing to be notarised first, however you will need to ensure that the doctor has registered their signature with the Legalisation Office of the FCDO.

We provide same-day services for the notarising of documents for your convenience. We can also apostille your document on either our Premium Service (same day/next day) or Standard Service (3-5 working days). If you require more information, albeit just to set your mind at ease, contact us with any questions or concerns.