Sick note for work after SRS

[JaimeJJ]

My friend is going to have her SRS surgery in a few months and her work don't know that she is transsexual.  She doesn't want to tell her work what surgery she is having and wants to know if her sick note would have to specify the type of surgery she was having or could it more general.

Does anybody know the policies on this? She lives in the UK.  Any information on this would be helpful.

Thanks 

[Jayne]

Due to problems with the NHS I've been up to my elbows in legislation & good practice guides over the last 2 weeks, a GP must safeguard a transsexuals rights to keep their background private.
I'm sure I read in one of the good practice leaflets about GP's writing letters to employers without giving any mention of the clinic or procedure, I don't know which leaflet it was in & there are 5 on this link http://www.gires.org.uk/dohpublications.php

I've just found the part I was thinking of but i've left the link for those leaflets as they may help, follow this link for the full text in section 1.6 http://www.gires.org.uk/assets/trans-rights.pdf

If you need a letter from your doctor for time off work, explain to him or her that the paperwork needs to be written in consultation with you, so that no unnecessary and unwanted disclosure occurs.
For instance, if you have already transitioned and nobody at work knows of your trans background, then your
doctor should not refer specifically to the kind of surgery you are planning to undergo and should be careful
about names and titles.

I hope this helps

Best wishes

Jayne

[JennX]

Mine didn't specify what type of surgery I was having. When I submitted my paperwork for short-term disability, the doc simply need to state "in general terms" what sort of surgical procedure was being performed (I think the doc used the phrase reconstructive surgery?) and how long I needed to be off, and what sort of work restrictions I would be on and for how long when I returned. Now if they decide to call the doc and check, or want more details, that's another story. My form I submitted was super-short, like 1/2 a page in length, and didn't go in to many details.