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Medical Certificate for Aged Care Workers

Need documentation for sick leave or carer's leave? Request your Absence from Work Certificate online for $5, reviewed by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist. No appointment required.

Request a CertificateWhen you might need one

Only $5 · Takes less than 5 minutes

Jump to: Sick & carer's leave · When you need a certificate · Can't get a GP appointment · Your employer's requirements · FAQ

  • Only $5, no appointment required
  • Reviewed by AHPRA-Registered Pharmacists
  • Certificate delivered by email
  • No certificate, no charge

Sick leave and carer's leave in aged care

Aged care covers a wide range of roles: personal care assistants, personal care workers, care assistants, aged care support workers, residential aged care workers, home care workers and community aged care workers, across residential facilities and home and community care. Depending on your employment type, whether you're full-time, part-time or casual, you may be able to access personal leave when you're too unwell to work, for example after an early start, a long shift, or a run of home care visits. At Sicknotes, we call the supporting documentation an Absence from Work Certificate, though you might know it as a medical certificate or sick note.

Carer's leave is different from personal leave. It's there for when you need to care for an eligible family or household member who is sick or facing an unexpected emergency, for example a sick child, a partner or a parent. Eligibility and evidence requirements can depend on your employment arrangement and workplace rules, so check your own entitlements if you're unsure. If eligible, Sicknotes lets you request an Absence from Work Certificate online, without needing to book a GP appointment.

When might you need a certificate?

A few common situations where aged care workers request a certificate:

  • You become unwell before an early residential care shift
  • You're too unwell to safely work your next rostered shift
  • Your child or another family member is unwell and needs your care
  • You're rostered for a home care visit and become unwell beforehand
  • Your employer has asked for evidence of your absence

Can't get a GP appointment before your shift?

Early starts, long shifts and back-to-back home care visits don't always leave room for a GP visit. Booking an appointment just to get paperwork can be hard to fit in around your roster. For eligible requests, Sicknotes is one option: complete your request online and have it reviewed by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist, without booking an appointment.

This isn't a substitute for medical care. If your symptoms are severe, persist or worsen, or you need diagnosis, treatment or ongoing care, please see your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.

  • Only $5, no appointment required
  • Reviewed by AHPRA-Registered Pharmacists
  • Certificate delivered by email
  • No certificate, no charge
Request a Certificate

Working in aged care when you're unwell

Aged care work often means close, hands-on contact with older people who may be more vulnerable to illness. If you're unwell and don't think you can safely or appropriately attend work, it's worth following your workplace's usual notification and absence procedures, and providing whatever evidence your employer asks for.

Sicknotes provides documentation following review by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist. It doesn't replace your employer's workplace procedures, and it doesn't determine your fitness for a particular duty, provide infection control clearance, or set out return-to-work requirements. If you have questions about any of that, check with your employer or treating health professional.

Residential aged care and home care

Sicknotes is relevant whether you work in a residential facility or in home and community care.

Residential aged care

  • Shift work at an aged care facility
  • Resident-facing personal care
  • Changing rosters and early starts
  • Weekend and public holiday shifts

Home and community aged care

  • Visiting clients in their own homes
  • Travelling between appointments
  • Scheduled care visits
  • Short-notice roster changes

Check your employer's requirements

Aged care employers range from small home care providers to large residential facilities, and employees can be covered by different awards, enterprise agreements or other arrangements, so requirements for providing evidence of an absence can vary between employers.

Under the Fair Work Act, employers can ask employees to provide reasonable evidence to support a claim for personal or carer's leave, and a medical certificate is one example of that evidence, although individual employers, awards and agreements can have their own requirements. If you're unsure what your employer requires, check your workplace policy before submitting your certificate. For more on your leave entitlements, see the Fair Work Ombudsman's guidance on sick and carer's leave.

How Sicknotes works

  1. 01

    Answer a few quick questions

    Tell us about your circumstances to help your pharmacist review your request. It only takes a few minutes.

  2. 02

    Pharmacist review

    An AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist reviews your request. If needed, the pharmacist may ask for some additional information to complete the review.

  3. 03

    Receive your certificate

    If appropriate, the reviewing pharmacist will issue an Absence from Work Certificate and we'll email it directly to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can aged care workers get a sick note online?
Yes. Eligible Australians working in aged care can request an Absence from Work Certificate online through Sicknotes. Your request is reviewed by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist, and a certificate is only issued where the pharmacist determines it's appropriate.
Can I get a medical certificate for aged care sick leave?
Yes. Sicknotes is available for eligible personal leave requests, sometimes called sick leave, for people working across residential aged care and home and community care.
Can a personal care worker get a sick note?
Yes. Sicknotes is relevant to personal care workers and personal care assistants, along with other aged care roles, where you need documentation for an absence from work.
Can I get a certificate for carer's leave if my child is sick?
Sicknotes can review requests relating to carer's leave, including caring for a sick child, subject to the information you provide and the outcome of the pharmacist's review. A certificate isn't guaranteed.
Do I need to see a GP for an aged care medical certificate?
No appointment is required to submit a request through Sicknotes, which is reviewed by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist. If you need diagnosis, treatment or ongoing care, or your symptoms are severe, please see your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional instead.
Will my aged care employer accept a Sicknotes certificate?
Requirements can vary between employers, so we can't guarantee that every aged care employer will accept a certificate. Sicknotes provides an Absence from Work Certificate, reviewed by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist, through our standard request process. If you're unsure what your employer needs, it's worth checking your workplace policy, award or agreement before you submit it.
How much does an aged care medical certificate cost?
Sicknotes costs just $5. If a certificate can't be issued, you'll receive a full refund.
How long does it take?
We aim to review your request within one hour of submission. During busy periods, review times may be longer.
What if my certificate cannot be issued?
Every request is individually reviewed, and a certificate isn't guaranteed. If a certificate can't be issued, you'll receive a full refund. No certificate, no charge.

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Request your Absence from Work Certificate online today. Simple, affordable and built for a short-term absence from work.

Request a Certificate

Only $5 · No certificate, no charge