hi everyone,
I am just wondering if anyone has been through the ill health retirement process to be dismissed from work?
I’ve been off a year next month and I’ve been told that even though I am covered by the equal opportunity act, I still have to attend work . At this time I cannot give them a date to when I will be back. I’ll health retirement is now the process that they have decided to take as the dismissal process is unpleasant I am told.
Thank you
Kels
Hi, I will be interested to hear any information people might provide on this as I myself have recently spoken to my manager about this and asked if she would basically support my decision, as I know that I am only going to be able to do the work I do at the most for the next year or two and I may not even be able to make that! I’m 63 and a carer and I’m really struggling. I’ve dropped 1 day a week as I’m in constant pain but I can’t afford to drop another 🥲so yes any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance xx oh and I would like to say, I will get around to replying to the lovely people who have replied to my other posts I’m sorry I’m just flagging atm x
I will keep you posted xx
Thank you so much xx
hi Georgie-chick. I have been through the IHR process. Besides Fibromyalgia I have other health conditions including a rare autoimmune disease. The IHR process is a long drawn out process that adds to the stresses we already face with our debilitating condition's. you will need to stay strong and as long as you have you have support for yourself and your manager”s Support for ill Health retirement the process will be easier.
Share as much medical evidence as you have with your occupational health who are carrying out the assessment. I was the one who had to keep chasing for updates and the relevant information had been received for the approved doctor to make any decision.
Thank you FindingMyself60,
I asked for VR and until 3 weeks ago I was in line to get it, however a member of my team left and now, well this is happening . I have read lots of information about IHR, but i do not understand the finical aspects of it and how it is going work.
I am worried as my half pay runs out mid May, oh dear it is a mess! I feel that the council are using my health against me to ensure they do not pay out my redundancy. The union are involved, but tbh I am starting to mistrust them.
thanks
Kel
I was near my half pay and worked for the civil service. I had my union support me to make sure my IHR commenced as soon as my half pay finished. Are you in a union who can support you to help speed up the situation because as long as you have all the medical evidence the process can be pushed along
I am in the union. I hate things like this, it just sets off my anxiety.
Yes it will set off your anxiety. You will need to try and stay strong. They do not make it an easy process like most things in life. I wish you all the best in getting this sorted 🤗
🥲it’s awful, I’m the same as well I’m sure lots of us are 🤗🤗xx sorry what is VR?
VR - Voluntary Redundancy
Hi
Yes I got medicaly finished .
It was very upsetting, made me feel useless .
Worked for nhs .ask for meetings on teams if you can .
Made me cry ever time .
Pension Is rubbish better in your bank then there’s .
Union were no help just sat there said nothing
Hi, as a manager I can say a bit about how it works.At least for the public sector there are two different processes.
The first is ill-health retirement, which for us has two levels. The lower level is that you won't be able to do the same job ever again. The higher is that you won't be able to do any job ever again. Both these bars are incredibly high. The decision is taken by a doctor who acts for the pension provider, because it's them that will be paying the pension. Although you will need the support of your manager/employer, they can't do much/anything to influence the outcome. You will need medical evidence, usually including consultants reports.
The second route is dismissal, effectively because your employer cannot support your level of attendance. Usually, this is used if you're not at work and there's not a good prospect of you returning to consistent attendance (taking into account your reasonable adjustments). At least for us if you are dismissed through this route there is a payment made. It's not a lot compared to a pension. If you are of an age where you could take your (reduced) occupational pension then it can start at the point you leave.
I have heard a few managers (not where I work) discouraging people from being dismissed 'because it's not nice' and 'you wouldn't want it on your career record'. But if you don't meet the criteria for ill-health retirement, then it's likely that you'll get more money than if you just resign.
Hope that helps a bit.
Hi, They offered you VR and then took it away from you, because someone left, I don’t think that is right. They could always advertise the job.
While the employer cannot withdraw the redundancy notice unilaterally, it can, during the notice period, seek the employee's agreement to withdraw the notice. Speak to the union regarding this. xx
Hi I have been through IHR and had to attend meetings to discuss this with my union rep present, this to me was the worse part as I felt so anxious, worried and ashamed because I couldn’t do my job anymore and I loved it.
The meetings were online as after Covid more acceptable and I told them I couldn’t attend in person due to the anxiety it provoked.
I had to talk to Occ health a few times whilst absent previously and had a phone call with a Dr who was part of the pension/my works panel and to be honest he was lovely. I just explained everything as it was. Dr recommended me for IHR on a tier 1 so I could access my pension. It wasn’t long until it was sorted and not as terrible as I thought it would be.
So I would say be brave and take advice from your union.
Take care x
Thank you. I’m not sure I fully trust the union 🙈 I work for the local council and I’ve just got a feeling.
But thank you for the information x
Geordie-Chick
I worked for the council too, union not that helpful but do usually know legal rights.
At the end of the day it’s your decision but it’s hard one. Best of luck let us know how you go xx
hi Geordie- Chick
I am just about to complete on my IHR, but this process has taken upmost 2 years.
Can I ask who your employer is as I’m sure the process is different for all companies.
Aww never !! Local council.
hi All
I’m in the final stages of this process now for IHR just waiting on a decision
It’s took me about 18 months that was mainly due to the O/H doctor
Because my bloods show up I have a positive Autoimmune disease my symptoms are not characteristic to just one particular autoimmune so the Rheumatologist has put me down that’s it’s fibro with the wide spread pain
The O/H basically what I have been coming to terms with from Pain management teams
My symptoms are not going to get better it’s about learning to live with them and coping better
The O/H Doctor was saying oh well in 15 years they might find a magic pill for Fibro so never say never
This messed with my mental health horrendous I’m getting told by a team learnt to live with it and have better coping mechanisms to oh there might be a pill that can give you your life back
I actually ended sobbing on my phone call with O/H and asked it could I end this call because he’s going against all other consultants I have spoke to up are telling me it’s about managing fibro now not on fixing it
On my report to the medical team though O/H has said if the pain continues he cannot see me working again
But he thinks my mental health will improve
Even though if just told him I’d finished a CBT course to no avail
I knew and have read how people say this is such a drawn out stressful situation and my God there right it’s drove me around the bend sometimes even having to fill the form out again because they said they lost my part
But please stick with it
It’s what you have been working for also and it’s also not our fault that most of us have had to leaving our working life that alone is terrible to deal with
Keep going and stay strong x
Early Retirement due to ill health
Ill health retirement from the NHS
Ill health retirement from NHS 
Retirement on Ill health grounds 
