Legal Information
Dociva is an Australian online healthcare platform that supports access to healthcare services such as medical certificate requests, online consultations, prescription requests and referral requests, where available.
All clinical requests submitted through Dociva are subject to review by an Australian registered medical practitioner. A certificate, prescription, referral or other clinical outcome is not automatically issued and is only provided where the practitioner considers it clinically appropriate.
Dociva is not an emergency service. If you are experiencing chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, signs of a stroke, heavy bleeding, collapse, seizure, sudden swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue, thoughts of self-harm, or any symptom that feels serious or life-threatening, call 000 immediately or attend the nearest emergency department.
Medical Certificates
Medical certificates are documents issued by healthcare professionals to provide evidence that a person may be unfit for work, study or other responsibilities due to illness, injury or caregiving responsibilities.
Through Dociva, medical certificate requests are reviewed by Australian registered medical practitioners. If approved, the certificate may be issued electronically and can be verified through our website.
Submitting a request does not guarantee that a medical certificate will be issued. The practitioner must be satisfied that the certificate is clinically appropriate based on the information provided and any further assessment they consider necessary.
Sick Leave and Carer's Leave Certificates
Sick leave certificates may be used to support an absence from work or study due to illness or injury. Carer's leave certificates may be used where a person needs to care for a member of their family or household who is ill, injured or otherwise requires care.
Employers may request evidence that would satisfy a reasonable person that the employee is entitled to sick leave or carer's leave. This may include a medical certificate or other acceptable evidence, depending on the employer's policies and applicable workplace arrangements.
It is your responsibility to check whether a Dociva certificate is acceptable to your employer, school, university or organisation before submitting your application.
Online Medical Certificates
Online medical certificates are certificates issued electronically after a clinical assessment has taken place through an online healthcare service. Depending on the circumstances, this may involve an online form, further written information, phone contact, video contact or another form of clinical assessment considered appropriate by the practitioner.
For any service, a doctor may require phone or video contact before making a decision if they consider it clinically necessary. If the practitioner cannot safely assess the request online, the request may be declined and the patient may be advised to seek in-person care.
Online medical certificates are commonly used in Australia, but acceptance can vary between employers, schools, universities and other organisations. Dociva cannot guarantee that a third party will accept a certificate.
No Backdating
Dociva does not provide backdated medical certificates. A certificate can only be considered from the date of the clinical assessment and cannot be issued for a date before the assessment took place.
If you need evidence for a previous absence, you should speak with your employer, school, university or organisation about their requirements and consider seeking advice from your usual healthcare provider.
Online Consultations
Where available, Dociva may provide access to online consultations with Australian registered medical practitioners. Online consultations may be suitable for certain non-emergency health concerns, depending on the nature of the symptoms and the practitioner's clinical judgement.
An online consultation does not guarantee that a certificate, prescription, referral, treatment plan or other clinical outcome will be provided. The practitioner may decide that no treatment is required, that further information is needed, or that the patient should seek in-person or urgent medical care.
Online consultations are not a substitute for emergency care, ongoing management by a regular GP, or a physical examination where one is clinically required.
Prescription Requests
Where available, Dociva may support online prescription requests. Prescription requests are reviewed by an Australian registered medical practitioner and are only approved where the practitioner considers the medicine clinically appropriate and safe in the circumstances.
A prescription is not guaranteed. The practitioner may decline a prescription request, recommend an alternative treatment, request further information, require phone or video contact, or advise the patient to seek in-person care.
Some medicines may not be suitable for online prescribing. Dociva may apply additional restrictions to certain medicines, repeat prescriptions, high-risk medicines or requests that require more detailed clinical review.
Referral Requests
Where available, Dociva may support requests for referrals. A referral may only be issued if the practitioner considers it clinically appropriate after reviewing the patient's circumstances.
A referral is not guaranteed and does not guarantee that a specialist, clinic, imaging provider or other third party will accept the referral, provide an appointment, bulk bill the service or offer a particular outcome.
Patients are responsible for checking any fees, eligibility requirements, waiting times and acceptance criteria with the relevant third party provider.
Legal Regulations and Workplace Evidence
The National Employment Standards (NES), outlined in the Fair Work Act 2009, set out workplace rights and leave entitlements in Australia.
For sick leave and carer's leave, employees may be required to provide evidence that would satisfy a reasonable person that they are entitled to the leave. A medical certificate may be accepted as evidence, but employers may have specific policies or requirements.
Common information included in a medical certificate may include:
- The practitioner's name and provider details
- The patient's name
- The date of assessment
- The date the certificate was issued
- The period the patient is considered unfit for work, study or relevant duties
Clinical Independence
Clinical decisions made through Dociva are made by the reviewing practitioner using their professional judgement. Dociva does not guarantee that a practitioner will issue a certificate, prescription, referral or any other clinical document.
The practitioner may approve the request, decline the request, ask for further information, require phone or video contact, or recommend that the patient seek care from another healthcare provider.
Verification and Authenticity
Certificates issued through Dociva may be verifiable through our verification page. Verification helps employers, schools, universities and other organisations confirm whether a certificate was issued through Dociva.
A certificate must not be altered, falsified, reused for another purpose or used in a misleading way. Misuse of a certificate may result in cancellation, refusal of future services or other action where appropriate.
Important Limitations
Dociva's services are intended for appropriate non-emergency healthcare requests that can be safely assessed online. Some symptoms, conditions or circumstances may require in-person care, urgent care or ongoing management by a regular healthcare provider.
Dociva does not provide emergency care, hospital services, complex chronic disease management, workplace injury reports, insurance reports, legal reports or medical opinions for court, compensation or medico-legal purposes unless expressly stated otherwise.
Conclusion
Online healthcare can make certain healthcare services more accessible and convenient, but every clinical request still requires appropriate practitioner review. Whether a patient requests a medical certificate, online consultation, prescription or referral, the outcome depends on the practitioner's independent clinical judgement.
If you are looking for support with sick leave certificates, carer's leave certificates, online consultations, prescriptions or referrals, Dociva is designed to provide a simple and secure pathway for appropriate non-emergency healthcare requests, where available.
