Ask for a doctor’s note, or a letter, the right way
Tell a doctor’s note from a letter, and ask for the right one so that it arrives first time.
People say “I need a letter from the doctor” for two quite different things, and they go down two different corridors at the office.
One is a doctor’s note, which an employer or a disability claim asks for. The other is a letter written for an insurer, a landlord, a club. Asking for the wrong one is why two weeks go by and nothing arrives.
Key points
- Tell a doctor’s note apart from a letter, and use the right corridor for each
- Get the asker’s exact wording before the office writes anything
- Ask what the fee is before a letter is written rather than after
What to remember
- Admin requests go to the office, not to a clinic. That is why they have their own form.
- Get the request in the asker’s own words first. Then the office is answering a question rather than inventing one.
Try this
If anybody has asked for something from your doctor, ask them to email their exact wording first. That one email turns three attempts into one.
Practice: Ask for a doctor’s note, or a letter, the right way. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.