Hi.I just wondered if having a heart condition can be classified as an official disability?
You could be in a situation where through no-fault of your own you’re unable to do certain tasks at work anymore because you havent the strength/stamina or get out of breath,angina pains etc.
I suppose being classed as disabled has its downsides as if you want to apply for another job prospective employers would probably discriminate against you , not openly of course, but just say you arent qualified or some other reason.
Just wondered what peoples views and experiences are?
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BaronFrankenstein
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in the UK, there is a benefit called PIP. Just less than 50% with cardiovascular conditions are successful in getting it. Average success rate is about 52%.
It’ll be based on how much it limits your life and the ability to do tasks but certainly it could be classified as a disability. I think if it doesn’t limit your life too much, it wouldn’t be classified as a disability. I imagine certain conditions are automatically considered but for the rest it is a sliding scale.
Thanks for your reply. I think im just worried about whether ill be able to do my j9b again once i get backnto full hours, shift patterns and work load. Im not as ill as some people ive met at cardio rehab but its still a concern for me if ill be deemed unfit to fulfil my duties and forced out.
You asked related questions to this some months ago one such linked below. Your work situation is covered by the Equality Act 2010 which in essence states that your employer must make reasonable provision to accommodate your health circumstances. There is no precise definition of reasonable and small employers may not be able to do much when health circumstances change for an existing employee and can therefore legitimately release an employee. Whereas a large employer may have the flexibility and capacity to do something 'reasonable' although that something may involve less money if the job duties are less demanding . Remember the Act attempts to strike a balance between protecting an employee rights whilst being fair to the employer. Nonetheless how the Equality Act works when someone turns up at an interview for a job they clearly cannot do because they are not fit enough is an unknown as far as I am concerned, and what happens if the person is hired and cannot do the job especially when the prospective employee has been evasive about their circumstances or worse dishonest is also an unknown.
As far as the disability aspect of your question is concerned there are people who have heart attacks but return to work and then live a full and active life, whereas there are others who become constrained by their heart event especially when there are added complications which affects their wellbeing, and so they can no longer function as before, and it is the latter group that may fall under the definition of 'disabled'. You have given the impression over the last few weeks that you are making a good recovery, and in particular were pleased to tell us a few weeks ago that you managed a difficult 7 mile walk. So you may need to decide whether your desire to change is because you simply don't enjoy the job role you are to shortly to return to, health issues aside, which is perfectly understandable and happens to all of us, in which case perhaps pursue a career move into something that you will enjoy and be fulfilled and can feel comfortable with, rather than something that is a compromise that neither you or an employer really want.
Tja ka for your reply. I may be able to go out for a 7 mile walk (havent managed that since) , but thats my own pace and lots of rests and nothing else.
My current job involves 11.75 hr days and nights, i can do up to 6 miles of walking during a shift, excluding doing any actual work which involves a lot of climbing in and out of pits and trains, carrying heavy equipment, components and tools, yanking on big spanners and torque wrenches etc. Not to mention the pressure due to time constraints.
My job is a big step up from a leisure walk where im in control of what i do.
My employer is quite large and has a good reputation, so they may be able to accommodate me eventually but at the moment my future seems uncertain. I dont think im being negative just realistic. Im going to start the referred gym classes on the 25th whixh i hope will help me build up some more stamina and fitness. Its sustaining exertion thats required in my job that concerns me.
From what you have told us before, and above, it is clear that your job is indeed physically and mentally demanding, not helped by the unsociable shift patterns that you have. And there are many who, even in good all round health, would not be able to do your job role, and the older you are the more that is likely. So as I said earlier it may be right to question whether you wish to continue, especially if you are reaching an age where the demands of your job are becoming a struggle, even without health issues. When I got to my mid 50s I noticed some physical activities were very slowly beginning to become more difficult relative to the very active life I had led before, and this was without any real health issues, and I certainly had not got a job which involved shift work, long hours and an arduous physical side to it.
I had to ask for help to get a tractor wheel off at the weekend , something I would’ve done on my own , but I could feel my sternum moaning as I was trying to loosen the wheel nuts . I backed off 👍🏻..
i agree that you are trying to be realistic and i feel that it is good to be prepared to face problems associated with employers making adjustments for you
my own experience was with the NHS in the 80 & 90s - so i don't know if the situation has got worse or better, but as a large nationwide, public employer one might expect them to show exemplary practice and apply the relevant legislation .....!
that was not what happened in my case - i was trying to cope with an invisible and fluctuating chronic condition, with no treatment options
theoretically if your condition affects how you can work, occupational health advisers/consultants should be involved in advising you and your employer about what adjustments could be made to enable your continuing employment - it is always worth remembering that these OH specialists are contracted by your employer and it is in their interest to keep them happy
everyone's situation is different and i hope that your employer is a good and fair one and that they want you to continue in your role
my own view is tainted by the way i was treated, which was that subtle ways of making it increasingly uncomfortable and difficult for me to do my job were applied - options which allowed me to manage the work around my condition were gradually withdrawn or shifted - eventually it was suggested that i should apply for early retirement on health grounds (at 43)
initially i did not want to do that, but my partner helped me to understand the benefits of that (financially) for me and i was fortunate to be in a position where this was a realistic option - if i had not done that i feel that i was being manoeuvred towards a constructive dismissal situation
some employers are less subtle and uncooperative - i hope yours is not one of these - but be prepared, if you have a professional association or union consult them and find out exactly what your position and options are - and be prepared to try other options, like a change of work/job/employer if it all goes pear-shaped
Yes. Given they supposedly want to get people back to work and off benefits (the sick note culture as Sunak calls it) they actually do very little in real terms to enable people to find a route back into long term sustainable roles.
They say employers should do more to make adjustments for people who have health limitations but they wont actually go as far as making that a reality and enforce it. Some cant afford to or simply dont want to.
It would make sense to fund people who can no longer do their original job to retrain, not just flimsy government schemes, but proper NVQ courses that are recognised by employers. Ones other than basic maths and english, such as programming, electronics,, business studies, things that will give you a crack at decent paid jobs. Backnin the 90s a course like this in electronics helped me get onto thr career ladder, otherwise I would have ended up doing jobs i hated
I think the government simply wants to force people off benefits even if they deserve to have them and puah them into jobs that are badly paid just so the unemployed figures look better and it saves them some money.
Its bad enough trying to get a job interview these days even if you are qualified and healthy. So unless they make employers more able to accomodate health limited workers its a non starter.
Im not saying some people couldnt do something, but if it makes them worse off, damages their health and wellbeing further, thats no good for anybody. You end up with a sicker popukation than before.
The safety net is increasingly being cut away to protect those with genuine health problems.
Ive found being back at work theae past few weeks people making little jokes and digs at the fact Im on day shifts, short hours and light duties. Because my heart problem isnt visible everybody thinks im just taking advantage of the system.
There may be rukes and rega about discrimination but employers would rather not have someone that they see as less productive or someone that other employees see as getting preferential treatment. I know myself i would rather not be seen as incapable of doing what my colleagues are doing. Its bad for my self esteem and mental health at the end of the day but i cant help the way i am now.
the words here are ‘reasonable adjustments’. I worked for the nhs for 40yrs and they did offer me some adjustments but even with occupational health involvement they were no way suitable for my health so I was finished on capability due to health grounds.
This is a simple guide to disabilities acas.org.uk/what-disability... Do you have access to an Occupational Health department where you work, as they should be your first port of call for adaptations at work etc.
i am happy for you, that is how it should be - in my case some of the OH "specialists" i saw knew nothing at all about my condition and had no understanding of how it impacted on my ability to workalso my employer chose to ignore the recomendations made when it suited them - trying to get them to follow them would have been extremely difficult
Again thats what i may be up against. Ignoring recommendations when it suits them and being made to feel im being lazy if I stick to my guns and refuse to do something that ive been told I should avoid by OH.
as i said, i hope that is not what hapens for you, but it is worth being aware that it is a possiblility so that you can prepare yourself - sources of effective support are thin on the ground these days so you need to be able to work out which battles to make a stand on and when to accept the situation or withdraw🙁😕
I am completely realistic about the possibility of being deemed unfit for the job im in. I think over the next 2 years my employer will be looking to thin out the workforce anyway. This is why ive paid to do some more work related qualifications off my own back that i can do in my own time. I think id be happy just being an electricians mate if i had to. That way i could finish the training ive started and earn a decent wage but have some flexibility.
Ive made a list of other things i could do if i had to.
I am on Adult Disability Payment (Scotland's version of PIP) since 2022, due to my Functional Neorological Disorder.
The thing about claiming is they are looking for evidence on what your diagnosis / condition has on your daily living, not specifically proof of your condition itself. Definitely seek advice from the likes of Citizens Advice for help with the application.
I was made redundant on health grounds from my job last year, and I am concerned about applying for jobs now, especially as it looks like I have heart issues to add to the mix now.
Although I have registered with a job agency which helps people with health conditions get back to work (Start Scotland).
There is actually no longer a classification of "disabled". You simply have a health condition. People used to get "Disability living allowance but it was changed to Personal Independence payment to avoid the use of the word disabled. It's now a matter of how much your health condition affects your ability to live normally.
Well my friend in London it don't seem to qualify as i had 5 cardiac arrests in 2018 and now have angina and COPD . After working full time for 35/40 years just have break till my children were of school age, i am now retired aged 72. I applied for disability, pip and was told i wasn't entitled but was entitled to have a disability driving badge????? which to me says I'm disabled.I hope this helps answer your question Baron Frankenstein.
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