Policies, contracts, letters, guidance and HR support tools for UK employers.
View full libraryThis Medical Report Request to GP Letter provides a structured way for an employer to request relevant medical information from an employee's GP or other medical practitioner responsible for their clinical care. It helps employers ask focused questions about fitness for work, likely absence, adjustments and return-to-work considerations while respecting the employee's medical confidentiality and legal rights.
Use this template to:
If you are managing sickness absence, the toolkit brings together practical HR templates covering absence reporting, return-to-work meetings, reviews, support and formal action.
This template brings together the key information, sections and considerations you need to create a clear, comprehensive and professional HR document. Preview the document below.
[Sender name]
[Sender address]
[date]
[Recipient name]
[Recipient address]
Dear [Recipient first name],
Request for Medical Report – [Employee Full Name]
I am writing to request a medical report concerning your patient, [Employee Full Name], who is employed by [Company] as [Job Title].
We have obtained the employee's written consent to make this request and attach the signed consent documentation for your records.
The employee has confirmed that they:
[Do want / Do not want] to see the report before it is supplied to the organisation.
Reason for the request
We are requesting the report to assist us with:
[For example: managing the employee's sickness absence / planning a return to work / considering workplace adjustments / assessing fitness for the employee's role / understanding the likely prognosis / considering appropriate support / managing a capability process.]
Employment information
| Employee name | [Employee Full Name] |
| Job title | [Job Title] |
| Length of service | [Length of Service] |
| Normal working pattern | [Working Hours / Days / Shift Pattern] |
| Date absence commenced | [Date] |
| Current absence |
You've seen 20% of how the Medical report request to GP letter template is structured. Get the complete editable template instantly and customise it for your organisation.
This letter provides a practical framework for requesting relevant medical information from an employee's GP or another medical practitioner responsible for their clinical care. It is designed for situations where medical information is needed to help the employer understand the employee's ability to work and make appropriate employment decisions.
The request should explain the employment-related reason for seeking medical information, such as managing long-term absence, planning a return to work, considering reasonable adjustments or understanding whether the employee is fit to continue in their role.
The GP should only be asked for information that is relevant and necessary for the purpose. Questions can cover likely duration of absence, fitness for work, functional restrictions, adjustments, treatment-related considerations and the likely timescale for returning to work.
The employer must obtain the employee's permission before applying to a GP or other medical practitioner responsible for their clinical care for a medical report covered by the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988. The employee has specific rights regarding access to and disclosure of the report.
The report should provide information to help the employer make informed decisions rather than asking the GP to decide employment matters. The employer remains responsible for considering the medical evidence alongside the employee's circumstances, role requirements and applicable employment law.
Medical information is highly sensitive personal information and should only be accessed by people who genuinely need it. The organisation should explain how the report will be used, stored and shared and should apply appropriate security and retention controls.
Related HR resources and workflow
Explore the HR resources that may be relevant before and / or after using the Medical report request to GP letter, helping you understand the wider process, maintain appropriate documentation and follow a consistent approach.
A medical declaration form to disclose information that may impact an ability to perform tasks or may require adjustments to ensure workplace safety.
This Medical Report Consent Request to Employee Letter asks an employee for permission for the employer to approach their doctor for a medical report.
Use these best practice actions, recommended timescales and process stages to understand when and how the Medical report request to GP letter should be used, helping ensure each step is handled consistently and appropriately documented.
Understand the common mistakes to avoid when using this HR template, helping you reduce risk, prevent unnecessary costs and ensure the process is handled correctly.
Yes. Where the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988 applies, the employer must obtain the employee's permission before applying to their GP or another medical practitioner responsible for their clinical care for a medical report.
Normally, no. The request should be limited to the information that is genuinely needed for the employment purpose. For example, the employer may ask about likely duration of absence, fitness for work, functional restrictions or possible workplace adjustments.
Yes. An employee has the right to ask to see the report before it is supplied to the employer. If they want to do this, the employer should tell the doctor when making the application and the employee will normally need to contact the doctor within 21 days of the application.
An employee can refuse permission for the employer to obtain a medical report. The employer may then need to make decisions using other available information, such as information provided by the employee, fit notes or an occupational health report where one is available.
You can ask relevant questions about whether the employee's health may affect their work and whether adjustments may help, but employers should avoid seeking unnecessary diagnostic information. Whether an employee meets the legal definition of disability is ultimately an employment and legal consideration rather than simply a medical diagnosis.
HRDocBox templates provide a structured starting point designed for UK employers, combining practical HR wording with relevant employment law, Acas guidance and data protection considerations. AI can generate a letter, but a structured template helps ensure the consent, medical confidentiality and focused-information requirements are not overlooked.
The manager could use it without needing a long explanation first. It gave us a useful reference when checking the final correspondence.
How this content is developed and reviewed
The Medical report request to GP letter template is developed using a practical HR methodology that considers current UK employment legislation, ACAS guidance, CIPD good practice and the real-world HR process it supports. Templates and supporting information are regularly reviewed and updated, with additional reviews triggered by significant changes to legislation, guidance or established HR practice, helping ensure each document remains practical, relevant and suitable for UK employers.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing sick management HR processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
HRDocBox has been creating practical UK HR documents since 2009.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
Whether you employ 5 people or 50, hrdocbox gives you the structure, documents and expertise needed to manage employees professionally and legally.
Professionally written and fully compliant with UK employment law
Access a free contract template instantly - or save 10% on any document today.
Use this code at checkout for 10% off anything!
Includes instant download, updates, and full access to your HR templates.
