Help please...

[Mistiek]

I listed earlier about not being able to go back to work and that my pay is being halved as of tomorrow with no warning. Have been advised I only get 2 months full pay and 2 months half pay... thus is until Nov when it resets and it goes up to 4 months full and 4 months half as I'll be in my 3rd year of service with the NHS.

I'm freaking out because my boss won't let me back at work. She says I'm not ready and not in control of my pain. I can't afford to be off any longer. I have nothing to fall back onto... to make matters worse after phoning the hospital in agony a couple of days ago I managed to score myself a lap in 2 weeks time... This is excellent news for me... but it means even more time off... It could be now another 3 to 4 weeks off depending what I'll need for recovery time. My NHS breach would have been the 5th Dec so I know if i don't take this opportunity I could be waiting until December for my lap!

I know I'm lucky to have this soon... but how will I survive and pay my bills... A friend who has been off work etc said the CAB can help and I would be entitled to some extra help... but everything I'm reading says no... This is not a disability...

Does anyone know if there is further help I could get to supplement my pay? I no longer get help from the benefits since moving in with my partner and he is unfortunately not able to pay all the bills on his own!

This is causing me more stress now than work originally was... wished I had never taken time off to deal with the depression and pain and just grinned and bared it... I'm now worse off...

Feeling so hopeless... Please can some one give me some advice! I'm desperate ...

[hayls]

Hi

Really sorry you're having to deal with this - being in pain etc is bad enough without the stress of work, I know that well as I was off for 5 months last year and could only go back part time for the first 3 months and have had several long runs of sick leave over the last 3 years due to endo - not helpful when you're the main earner with a mortgage to pay!

The main thing for you is to check your employers policies regarding returning to work after sickness, as far as I am aware your boss can't actually stop you going back to work provided you are not signed off by a doctor. As I am sure you know the sick notes issued by doctors now are actually Fit Notes and are designed to get you back to work. I would suggest going to see your GP and reviewing things with them and asking them for a Fit Note stating that you are fit to work. Armed with that your boss would struggle to try to stop you from coming back and they could be in breach of your employment contract if they refused (you would need to double check your contract and the policies on sickness etc). If you want to go back to work I would be really blunt and phone your boss and say you've seen your doctor and been signed back on and will be in on Monday and just leave it at that and then turn up to work as normal!

Unfortunately there's nothing you can do about your sick pay, it's a discretionary benefit paid by your employer and is a very very generous sick pay policy and even when it drops to half pay it's likely it still exceeds statutory sick pay (about £16 a day!) so is a lot more than most people would get. However that doesn't necessarily mean you won't be entitled to any extra help, so it could still be worth going through a benefits assessment but I wouldn't get your hopes up too much as most are means tested and you do technically have a job and are being paid sick pay which is probably higher than what the benefits would be - but do check as then at least you will know one way or the other.

Sorry if this isn't what you wanted to hear, and I really do feel for you as it's horrible as it's not of our own doing yet it makes everything worse, it will take me years to financially recover from the amount of sick leave I have had - I had long spells of £16 a day sick pay with a £1000 monthly mortgage and I wasnt entitled to any help either, my poor husband was literally working 24/7 to try to make up the money!

Hayls

[Mistiek in reply to hayls]

Thank you for your reply... its no surprise really. .. as I was sure there was no extra help. I know I'm lucky in many respects but saying that won't pay my bills!

If I was married I would find it easier but I have only been with my partner for just over a year. We moved in together in Feb. .. my problems started just before them and it's been a really bumpy ride for him because of all this crap! He has been very supportive... but there is nothing we can physically do to bring in money... He can't do over time... its not available. We pay half of all the bills and if I can't pay my half.... I put him in shit street too....!!! I just had a massive cry with him... not that that's helped any either...

Tomorrow I make my last attempt to persuade my boss to let me back. Then I go the gp route... problem is, she is on leave next week!

I will offer to go back and do all the teams b 12 in jettisons and insulin so it's light work but takes the pressure off... hopefully she will see sense!

Failing all of that... I don't know... pray and hope for the best! :, (

[amie1]

Hi I was in the exact position as you. I have been in NHS 7years and because had a year out to work in Australia an restarted in a new job they only gave me one month full pay with three half and spp. Then following three month just ssp. You should be eligible for that plus employment support allowance after that finishes. I had to go to citezens advice. They were very helpful, however unfortunately if your not single and your partner is seen as supporting you, there is not many benefits they can offer.

Hope that helps! Feel better soon!

[Mistiek in reply to amie1]

Hi Amie,

Thank you for your reply.. All the SSP and EPA etc is very confusing. My boss is apparently speaking to HR as neither of us were warned this was happening. Im not sure what she will get right. She is also speaking to Occ Health about duties I can come back and do asap.. I understand she has a duty to make sure I am safe and my patients are safe.

I told her this morning that I have managed to get my lap appointment for the 29 Sept and am hoping that the consultant will be able to diatherm any endo he sees to alleviate my symptoms for now until my big op.

My hope is that they will let me back to work from Monday to do lighter duties, Triage, B12's, Insulin's, Meet and greets etc with a lighter patient list than usual. We are so short staffed so even this will help them...

Then I can have my lap on the 29th, its a Monday so hopefully will only need one week to recover and back at work a week later... maybe again on lighter duties for a week or so, that will mean I only loose one weeks Annual leave (HR have advised I can get my leave paid out to top up my income) I only have 3 weeks left so don't want to use it all from now until then...

Fingers crossed my boss can sort something out. I have also been in touch with my surgery and waiting for the GP to contact me this morning so that I can ask for a fit to work certificate. He was happy to allow me back but equally happy to give me a couple of extra weeks to get on top of everything which I took not knowing about the pay issues. So getting a fit for work certificate from him will help... To make matters worse its that time of the year when my NMC fees are due!!! becasue I have been off i have already lost my weekend increment and mileage... Just some added pressure!

You know when you are off work you worry and stress so much and feel so guilty all the time... I have never been in a position where my boss wants me to take more time out and I have to beg to go back! Just weird!

I just have to make it through to November. I start my 3 years service then and go up to 4 month full and 4 months half pay. That should cover the hysterectomy needed and then hopefully ill be back to normal and fighting fit and can get back to building my career!!

Fingers Crossed....

[amie1 in reply to Mistiek]

Ahh bless you! I know how you feel, the frustration and guilt is awful! but I have tried to learn to be a bit more selfish now and you have to look after yourself. With regards to SsP I was told I could only claim 6mths and then go into EPA you need to put the claim in early tho so no overlap. I don't see why they have a problem

With you doing light duties as long as your not pushing yourself and occ health are happy. Have you had a lap before? You may need a little longer than a week all depending on what they do. Give yourself a break also, us nurses and rubbish at looking after ourselfs!

Take care of yourself and enjoy the time off!! X

[Mistiek]

Yes Amir, us nurses are rubbish at looking after ourselves! I told my partner the other day I'm the worst patient... He was moaning at me because I don't seem to take the pain killers regularly to stay on top of the pain. They make me feel a bit sleepy and ikky so I take them only when I need them... He asked me "what would you tell your patients?" He had me there... I took more pain killers!!! Lol

Does SSP and EPA Only kick in after half pay stops then... ?

I had a lap last year where my cervix was cortarised, I was steralised and checked for endo which is when a small old spot was found and fell away. I was given 2 weeks off but was fine after a week. This time it's meant to be investigative surgery, hoping for some diathermy but don't expect it to be major surgery as I'll be having a hysterectomy at some point t after this to remove everything. Hope a week will be ok!

Hmm bad timing really but you know what it's like.... you have to wait so long so when you get a break you take it!

Thanks again for your replies xx

[amie1]

Sound like your having a time of it! fingers crossed you will have a speedy recovery and get back to work asap.

I got SSP plus half pay for 3mths and the should have gone onto EPA, if you go to occ health they should have details, I called the employee support program, if you have anything like that? also citizens advice where good.

Good Luck and your welcome its a daunting horrible time my thought are with you.

[claire1967]

Yes it is a disability I was in your position and my gp was the one to tell me to apply for disability living allowance as I was so ill I was not fit for work. I did it and got DLA. Then when felt well enough to work returned and worked 16 a week and was entitled to disabled person text credit to make up my pay. I too worked within health service in medical records dept. So don't worry get your gp to fill in their section of DLA form as they know your situation. When I was off I got 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay. Don't worry go to your local DHSS branch and they will tell you all you need to know about benefits you entitled to. If not fit for work you should also get employment and support allowance. (ESA) through this you can get help with your rent or mortgage!

[Mistiek]

Wow Claire! Thanks for all this... I have managed to get back to work. Will be going back tomorrow. Occ health have agreed under the guidance of my gp and will reassess at the end of the week. Work have said that they won't allocate me any patients so ill be a helping hand where needed. That way I am not relied on... so if I have a bad day and can't make it in I don't cause problems for my team.

I have also asked for light duties as I get tired quickly. This week is my long week so worried how I'll cope with 10hr shifts at the moment... but again pay is the issue.

I will see what happens after my op in 2 weeks time, if there is not a great improvement from my lap and my hysterectomy will still be months away I will look into all the help I can get. I have screen shot your message to have the details to hand. Dam... wish I had know this last week!

On the positive side... I only have to last till November the 9th and my sick leave is reset and ill get 4 months full and 4 months half and that should cover my big op lol...

hope you are ok...and having a 'good' day xxx