Occupational Health Appointment

[Veggiehog]

At my line managers request , I went for an appointment with occupational health . Their recommendation being , cut your hours or find a new job before you're pushed to .. This is after over 20 years service in the NHS . Very fed up ..

[Hidden]

That's awfull sorry too hear this. Not surprised your fed up😕

[Ramjets]

I am sorry to hear this hun and I understand how you feel. It is upsetting when you are forced to make these decisions through no fault of your own. However at the risk of making you even more fed up, once you have had time to think about it, it may not be such a bad thing to reduce your hours. In hindsight I wish I had done that instead of pushing myself to the point where I had to stop work altogether. Obviously I don't know your personal circumstances and financially you may need to work full time but if it is possible, then it would be a way to keep your job but take some of the strain off. Sorry if I'm way off and hope I haven't cheesed you off too much. Sending you big hug, take care lovely. x

[Veggiehog in reply to Ramjets]

lol no you haven't cheesed me off , don't worry . If I could afford to drop my hours I would do . I was just surprised at how little they wanted to support me . Sending hugs right back

[Ramjets in reply to Veggiehog]

Seems ironic (and scandalous) that you work for the NHS who are meant to care for people when they are ill but you don't get the care and support you need despite all those years of service. I would get some proper advice from your union rep hun and make sure you know what your rights are and where you stand. Good luck xxx

[spider555]

Unfortunately I've had problems in the nhs with disability 🙄

[Miss68]

Hi Hun, I work for the NHS too and I had my contract terminated due to ill health. I ended up on half pay followed by no pay. They're paying me full pay until my end date. The NHS are very strict with their sickness policy now because they're struggling financially. In my humble opinion that's no excuse really. It's us that they need to keep the place running. They forget all the extra time we've put in etc. Completely and utterly frustrating isn't it? I feel for you Hun. In hindsight I think it was a small blessing in disguise for me, like Ramjets said. I hope you get things sorted and don't take it too personally x

[spider555 in reply to Miss68]

True they are even more short staffed with brexit

[Veggiehog in reply to Miss68]

I would say the sickness policy boarders on bullying to be honest . It's like we're just robots that can be decommissioned when ever they choose . All pretty sad really ...

[spider555 in reply to Veggiehog]

I found that I was pushed out. So I had to go.

[Veggiehog in reply to spider555]

I've seen it happen , peoples lives just made more and more difficult .

[spider555 in reply to Veggiehog]

You would have thought that it's a caring environment 🤔

[Veggiehog in reply to spider555]

lol - it would be nice if it was !

[spider555 in reply to Veggiehog]

It's definitely an eye opener 😐

[Al10 in reply to Veggiehog]

Reality once again poles apart from rhetoric. Once you are pushed out you become another lazy person screwing the system for benefits. Tough hey?

[phlebo123]

Hello, do you feel that you are coping ok with the hours you are currently working? If they have suggested that you reduce your hours have they suggested an alternative job (maybe less physical) Occupational health are maybe concerned that your current job and/or hours is too tiring. Or can you arrange to speak to your line manager about adaptations that can be made to help you in your current job. I believe that managers as part of helping disabled people into work are supposed to make suitable adaptations. I was similarly forced to leave my job in the NHS, but thinking back there was probably no way that I could have continued working the hours I was working at that time. I have subsequently found another job in a different hospital involving fewer hours, and shorter shifts, and I am currently managing to cope with this.

I am sure you are feeling upset at the moment, but please speak to your line manager about altering your shifts, remember that you need to look after your own health needs. Take care xxx

[Veggiehog in reply to phlebo123]

I am going to talk to my line manager , I think it was just the person I saw and their attitude that caught me off guard . Thanks for your advice xx

[Bobby16]

Terrible just terrible. I'm sorry to hear of your distress and treatment

[Nipper11]

I am sorry to hear this advise was given to you by occupational health teams. Living with an ongoing illness is hard enough without receiving such negative thoughts. Make simple changes which will support you in your work environment. Request support of your bosses to maintain your job role. Lots of us work with a disability or long-term illness. Please do not give your job up because of this feedback wait till they make a move as they might not. working for them for 20 years should have some impact in understanding your needs to carry on.

It will be better for you to let them take the decision to offer you early retirement due to illness because this will you support you later on. You should share with your bosses your still a person with feelings and live with fibromyalgia

That doesn't make you useless. You might have to do things in different ways but will get there in the end.

Do not let this affect you because you are worth so much more. Hang on in there. Big hugs.

[Don_in_midlands]

I was a radiographer in the NHS & had my job terminated as well. They basically said that I was not 'fit for purpose'. We had tried a few job adaptations (including reduced hours), in line with The Equality Act 2010, but due to the nature of the job, I just couldn't carry on. They did offer redeployment, but if there were no suitable jobs within 6 weeks, my contract would have been terminated. I just couldn't cope with another 6 weeks of stress, so I asked them to call it a day.

I think what I'm trying to say is that even tho they didn't communicate it very well, the occi health person probably meant it in a way that was best for you. The NHS only deals in personel numbers and not real people - it's nothing personal to you, honest!

I hope that you get this sorted asap xx

[lesleyann950]

Hi

It’s a nightmare being in a job if you have ill health . I would not advise anyone else doing what I did. I didn’t go off sick . I wrote out my resignation and carried it about for weeks. When I couldn’t bear it any more I handed it in . I sorted things out and then I left.

[lesleyann950 in reply to lesleyann950]

I got incapacity benefit immediately now ESA . It turned out I was really ill. I had 4 separate conditions

[lesleyann950 in reply to lesleyann950]

I am on contribution based and have been ever since. I am in support group on ESA. I am almost at retirement age and I have been a carer for many years