Can I refuse to attend at short notice?

You can ask, in writing, for the meeting to be rescheduled to a reasonable time and to be told the purpose and possible outcomes. Refusing to engage at all can itself become a problem.

Should I bring someone?

For disciplinary and grievance hearings, yes — you have a statutory right to be accompanied by a colleague or a trade union representative. For informal or investigatory meetings, it is worth asking.

Can I record the meeting?

Only with consent, unless your employer’s policy allows it. It is usually better to ask for accurate written minutes and to write your own note immediately afterwards.

Called to an HR Meeting at Short Notice: What to Do

Short-notice HR meetings are often the moment when a suspension, investigation, disciplinary or redundancy conversation begins. What you do in the next few hours has more impact on the outcome than anything you say afterwards.