Cancer remission - self isolsting?

[carol789]

My husband had stage 3 bladder cancer nearly 5 years ago, bladder and prostate removed . Verbally the public health have said he should be self isolating due to this covid19 as previous cancer. His anniversary of his opporation is coming up and he always gets depressed around this time, so currently off work with stress. Even though he has doctor sick note, his employers keep ringing and writing to him as he's a key worker - parcel delivery, it's making him worse, he says his head just needs a rest. He's 60 this year. His company said if he has letter saying he is high risk this is acceptable. The public health have sent me details but advises on existing cancer and having chemo or radiology, not remission. He's not in union, company don't like employees to be in a union. Hard to get in touch with citizen advice at moment.

Has anyone on here in remission had any similar advice? Is he high risk? He has to ring into work every two days and he's stressing about that. He had high blood pressure and I'm worried all this is making him much worse mental health wise. He just wants to be left alone at the moment. I can't see how it doctor signed him if with stress, that he still needs a letter saying he is high risk due to covid. They are paying him ssp, so if he could be in work he would, we need the money.

Anyone having similar situation?

[Hazie737]

Carol, the company should not be contacting your husband every day whilst he is covered by a Drs note, however contacting him occasionally is best practice just to hear how he is and anything they can do to support his return to work e.g lone working, arranging his work space differently to give him far more distance from others. If his doctors note is a more lengthy one e.g a month then the employer should not contact often e.g at the beginning and a week before the sick note runs out just to see if possible return or further note. Can his Dr arrange a longer sick note? Also it's not too late to join a union, do this on line or find there phone number, they may be connectable that way. All the very best

[carol789 in reply to Hazie737]

Thank you so much Hazie for replying, really appreciated. Very best wishes stay safe. Xx

[Hazie737 in reply to carol789]

And yourselves Carol789.

[Hazie737]

Also meant to say that as he has a Drs note for stress he definitely does not need a letter for Covid, his reason for not being in work is stress and they have to accept the reason given by his Dr.

[Rossi68]

It's tough .. it's like a grieving process we go through with op.. then anniversary brings it all back .. if he doesn't feel able to work then he shouldn't have added stress from them phoning x