Nightmare

[Sez10]

So work are being absolute ares holes! I am waiting for spinal surgery and now with this DCM I don’t know whether they will do it, and work are now trying to get rid of me! Can they do that?? 😓

[Heythrop51]

Sorry I have found that if a company want rid of you, or someone else, they will find a way. If it is a large company you could talk to the Occupational Health team but in a small company HR, OH, etc. are usually fulfilled by one person often on p/t basis. If you say a bit more it would make it easier to comment.

[Sez10 in reply to Heythrop51]

I actually work for the nhs! The one company you would think has empathy & compassion! But yea I’m planning to thanks

[Heythrop51 in reply to Sez10]

Is it the actual NHS in which case it is a poor show. Many despite NHS uniforms actually work for contractors who can be ruthless.

[Sez10 in reply to Heythrop51]

It’s the nhs, I work in outpatients 😞

[Heythrop51 in reply to Sez10]

Glad to see support and advice from other NHS employees. Good luck going forwards..

[Helen_BHF]

Hi Sez10 we have some information on work with a heart condition which may be useful for you - this includes your rights in relation to your employer. bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

Really hope this helps

[Sez10 in reply to Helen_BHF]

Thank you very much, will look into it. X

[Pussacat]

Is it possible it is just your Line Manager who is being difficult? I work in the NHS too and have found my Trust to be supportive and I am backed by an understanding Manager.Occupational Health is the way to go for you to have the backing to challenge things. Good Luck. 🐱

[ScoobyDoo71]

Hi Sez, I can fully empathise as a fellow NHS employee. I had a nightmare on the back of my Covid risk assessment with a senior manager trying to force me out on grounds that if I was in a vulnerable group for Covid then I surely wasn’t fit enough to do my substantive post 🤬. I wasn’t even off sick !!!. I ended up having to take out a grievance which was a nightmare. Very long story short get hold of the equality and diversity policy if it’s nhs trust they have to have one. Have you got a union rep ? get them involved. Put your argument together ensure that work have followed their own policy and done all the right things if as you say they are trying to get rid of you. It may just be a particular manager trying to make you leave. If your back problem and your DCM are impacting on your ability to do your job there are flexible working reasonable adjustments that should be looked into first and then if that’s not possible redeployment.

Occupational health should support you and your greatest asset is that your heart condition should fall under the equality act in which case this could be classed as disability discrimination.

It’s horrendous and it took a huge toll on me . I did win my grievance but I felt like I’d done the equivalent of a law degree putting it all together.

Good luck and I hope you get it all sorted x

[Sez10 in reply to ScoobyDoo71]

Thank you, I will definitely ask for the equality and diversity act. Great advice x

[Mentdent]

I had to leave work because of illness. We’re no use if we can’t do the job. I loved my job too.

[Sez10 in reply to Mentdent]

🥰

[Purkinje]

Hi Sez sorry to read about this. I was a nurse in the NHS for many years and a professional union rep so know what some managers can be like. A few really important things I might suggest... Document absolutely everything, every interaction, every comment, every requirement, date/time/place and where possible get a witness and keep a personal account/diary (don't use NHS paper or diaries in case they say you are misusing it). If you have a meeting with your LM try to have someone with you. You might pass over a trivial comment but it can build into something larger so every piece of evidence is crucial if you start a grievance etc. Plus if you have a timeline of evidence it can help identify bullying/pressuring. If a disciplinary event ever happened then a load of evidence is your saviour. Definitely get Occ Health involved and have things in writing that they advise. Involve your Union as soon as possible.. Don't leave it. If you don't get any joy from them go to your regional rep. Hope that helps and sorry if this sounds negative but that's the way it sometimes is. Good luck. P

[Sez10 in reply to Purkinje]

Thank you 🙏🏻

[DaveTR]

Hi Sez10,

Some good advice and info from Scoobydoo71.

They (your employer) need to be careful if that is their plan. With your back and heart you may be classed as disabled and therefore there could be protection under the Equality Act.

There will be policies (eg. Absence and Capability) that are there to help you and your manager with what should happen. No doubt a process too of what happens when. eg. "If absence has been more than 4 weeks seek an OH referral".

Please speak to your union rep (even if you are not in the union) and consider speaking to Citizens Advice.

Consider noting all conversations regarding this. Any meetings should be documented. If they don't follow their own rules (or law) then you may have grounds for a Grievance or even Unfair Dismissal.

[Sez10 in reply to DaveTR]

Thank you 🙏🏻