Hi everyone, this may seem a straight forward kind of question but I think it is going to a long and stressful road ahead if I think its going to go the way I think its heading.
So in Wales most of us have received the letter, I have received a copy letter of one that was sent to my GP. In the letter from my rheumatology consultant to my GP it said he had spoken to me and I was aware of the importance of social distances and isolation as I take a biological immunosuppressant.
Yet nowhere on the letter does the consultant say that I should shield, I suffer from R/A and anklylosing spondylitis. So just to be clear I called my GP they said that I was at moderate level but would not get a sheilding letter from them so I asked if I could get a copy of the letter that my consultant had sent the GP, taken back they said they would and tried to explain that sheilding was for cancer therapy recipients and I did not fall into that category. Does this seem right?
I wish this is where my concern ended but sadly not. I am trying to get my employer to let me work from home (work have supplied laptop's for others) normally the building I work in has alot of people in but since covid it's a skeleton crew. I have filled out a self risk assessment form but feel as though they are dragging their feet I have shown them the consultant letter, told them the meds I am on and explained that I have to catch two buses to get to work, that was two weeks ago.
I think I should sheild but what about pay, would they class it as sick, absence, as I don't know how long it will take to feel safe enough to return and no they would not furlough.
So it's confusing, letter but not the one that would have been helpful, no laptop from work to assist homeworking and taking humira whilst taking two buses during a global pandemic. I worry that work will put me on ssp rather than full normal pay until I get the laptop and maybe even beyond, I worry about what effect that will have on my family as I am the main provider. Final notes my employer offers good job security this aside and really don't want to change job.
Any thoughts of the best course of action because I am flummoxed.
Thank you in advance.
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pat66
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If no help from GP surgery, I would suggest contacting your local health board. Would keep it simple and straightforward. The Government information says people who are immunosuppressed are at more risk. I'm sure they will provide you the proper letter.
Can you email rheumatology helpline & explain situation, ask for clarification, they’re the experts. To me social distancing & isolation sounds like shielding. You can also register on extremely vulnerable govt website & tick no letter yet. I only received shielding letter this week. Good luck, v stressful for you.
Really great idea did not know that option was available on the gov. Web but am heading off there shortly hopefully that will be enough for work to sort things out for me to start working from home.
Sensible to play it safe. I knew I was high risk and have been self isolating for 7 weeks, which is a couple of weeks before I was advised to by government.
In cardiff it's crazy to see a capital city like this. Central section is mostly empty very eerie, Some times all you can hear are the animals reclaiming the city. Cats, dogs, birds all letting us know they are still here and now the traffic noise is not masking the sounds it's very calming to hear.
Don't worry I won't let a sheep get within 20 metres of me let alone 2!
As for bliss, well it was actually quiter here before lockdown. My neighbours are sun worshipers and do enjoy the odd barbacue or four! Not my cup of tea I'm afraid, but each to their own. That said, I was in the garden performing the Shawnee rain dance around the lawn in the early hours when everyone was asleep in bed. Well I hope they were anyway!
Not sure your rain dance is quite what the government ment by exercise but who am I to comment I just wish my knees were still up to the challenge of doing any length of dancing.
I think it's sheilding is for those who are more susceptible, where as isolation is for symptomatic suffers. Either way it's as clear as mud and I have just been on the welsh gov site and there is no option to say no letter received, I know it probably sounds trivial needing one when so many are having a terrible time at the moment but it is a genuine concern with my health, my family and my work. Hope your having a better luck in the states.
I think you should put yourself first, but I understand that you are the bread winner. Get yourself a good mask and stay safe my friend. Much love from Michigan
acas.org.uk/coronavirus they have advice for employers and employees about home working etc.
If you are only taking a biologic with no co-morbidities it seems that you shouldn’t get a shielding letter as your rheumy and GP have said. This does make it difficult if you work and need a letter for your employer. I hope you can work something out.
Thank you for the link. I think you're right I only take humira, naproxen and tramadol for the above mentioned health issues.
So I think this is as far as the GP /consultant will go I am going to ring the health board on Monday just to triple check, but I think I will have to get one of those fetching masks all the cool people are wearing nowadays and just keep going back and forth to work until my work get their skates on.
The shielding criteria is a mixed bag. It is very confusing as it is interpreted differently in different health areas. I think they also take age into account, whether meds control disease activity, and who knows what else... it appears that it is not black and white.
No easy answer here. Just keep the conversation going with your employer and keep trying to get clarification from Rheumy.
Once again, I am grateful to be where I am, and at the same time sad that the field is not equal.
I am going to speak again to my employer on Monday but I have to say I don't hold out much hope. I also plan to ring the local health board too, but after those two have been spoken to I fail to see the next logical step.
Have a look on British Society of Rheumatology website. This gives you a table with instructions depending on your meds and comorbidities. I am also shielding and have been furloughed at this time. Good luck and stay safe.
Do you have access to an occupational health practitioner? Your company may have a contract with one, if not, they could get you to see one as a one-off. That may help you and the company you work for? If you decide to go off on your own back, you could be breaking the contract terms, so I wouldn’t recommend that. It’s all a bit confusing 😊
Thanks cwendyn, I will check on Monday but I don't think I am just going to be able to go into sheilding. With out blowung my own trupet too much I think I know why they are dragging their feet in getting me a laptop and working from home, I hope they understand that I could catch this(coronavirus) coming back and forth work every day.
My husband received the letter. However according to the chart I looked at for clinicians if he was on MTX injection alone he wouldn't have to shield but because he also takes Erelzi injection this increases his vulnerability.
I agree pat66. It is very worrying times. There are some links of my husbands letter that you could maybe look at to see if there is any info that may help. Let me know if you would like me to check.
No specific advice from me but just to say that the situation is confusing. I have a friend with a slow progress lymphoma who is over 70. To begin with he just socially distanced, having heard nothing else. A routine telephone app with his consultant then told him he should not go shopping any more but could still go out to exercise. He has now had a shielding letter but seems to think he can still exercise outside.
I can’t find any government category which says you can exercise outside but not go shopping!
Thanks for your reply, honestly I would say pull out all the stops right now shielding, council help with food and if possible what's app or other Internet face to face. Your friend is in my opinion high risk (not medical personnel) Just concerned they they understand that they need to be looked after to remain safe.
The shielding letter says you must not leave your home. I'm in a separate bedroom to my hubby, we have different towels etc etc as advised in the letter.
It must be demeting for those that don't have a garden though.
I agree we as a species don't do well in isolation hence why they use it in prisons as a punishment. We are social, on the whole kind and considerable people. Thank goodness for technology not just to face to face talk to people, order food/shop but also to help try and find a cure or vaccination or test for this horrible disease that has effected so many people's lives.
Hi pat i know how you feel its deffo all very confusing! Ive looked at all the different charts and fall into every catagory i had a video from my hospital and the chart on that said i was moderate risk i had routine blood tests when the lock down hit and said to my nurse who does the bloods that i didnt know what i came under she told me to wait outside and she would try and find out she came out and said i had been put on low risk, i had the next lot of bloods friday and we was talking about it so she looked again ( i think she had forgot she had already checked and it said i was low risk) and she said i was put as high risk so theyve changed it at some point but havnt got in contact with me to say or to say if i need to take extra measures than i already am ive had no letter or txt but im not sure if its just shielding that get that. So im still clueless as to what i am haha its been very confusing for most of us i think
Hi Emma, it's confusing to be sure. Gp and consultants should be first port of call and according to advice on here seems to be a lengthy web search against the. GOV sites depending on where you are in the UK.
Personaly I would say with the meds and asthma in the past I would be staying in but that's just me. Thank goodness for this site where everyone can chat about there experience and share information. Stay safe.
Theres different information on every chart and website which doesnt help the info is all a bit here there and everywhere. Best thing you can do is go by what you think with everything going on its not like we can just call our consultants when we want as they would be the best person to ask about ourselves. Just carry in keeping yourself safe
I think your right, I know we are all adults and can't be treated like children but a base line of who and what are the best practices would be helpful, if all leaders read from the same hymn sheet hopefully we would be in a better state of affairs.
Should we listen to Who, British gov or for my money the guys and girls here the people who are in the same boat.
I'm in North Wales and I got a shielding letter! I'm only on Mtx inj and have well controlled Asthma, I've also got a friend just on Mtx and She got one too, maybe contact the chief medical officers dept, you should have one hope this helpsxx
Hi and thanks for the advice is that through betsie cadwalader or Welsh. Gov any link you could supply me with would be greatly appreciated. Stay well.
It was from welsh gov, chief medical officer, I'm in Betsi cadwalader health board area. The tel number on letter is 03000 257028 and email PSChiefMedicalOfficer@gov.wales hope this is of some help, good luck and take care xx
Thank you all for your advice on how to try and get a letter to pass on to work, does anyone know what the fall out is if I do go shielding without a letter where I stand in regards to pay if I would be classed as off work until I am supplied with a laptop, I ask as who I work for have not furloughed anyone but other staff are working from home. Does everyone think that they would try and put me on ssp until they hand me the equipment to work from home or something else??
If you are on immunosuppressants ie Biologics you should be on shielding for 12 weeks... ring your specialist nurse & ask for a more specific letter as you fall into “at risk & vulnerable” category & should be at home. . Good luck
Hi Julia, thank you for your response. I will be calling them tomorrow just to get more clarity hopefully I will be able to get what is needed for work.
I would say you should be shielding. I’m also in Wales in on Methotrexate and Benapali injections and have had a shielding letter. In fact 2 the first to my previous address !! GP agrees I should be shielding. I think you need to take a string line with work as if there is an administrative cock up that’s not going to be helpful after the event for them to say we were wrong. Do you have a union you can talk to?
Hi fj, you must have a fantastic gp. Mine is not so much, I know there is tremendous pressure on the NHS at the moment but after speaking to my GP I felt very much like I was being stupid and I was wasting his time. My consultant was better but think he thought my GP would take care of it but alas not the case. I am not part of unison but feel like I am going to have to join, as you say... Oops after the fact doesn't really cut it. Just a stressful situation as want to work from home like my other colleagues rather than running the risk of going into sheilding and being classed by work as sick leave or worse.
I am on Methodextrate which is an immunosuppressant. Also I'm Diabetic. I received a letter from the NHS which said I should isolate and show the letter to my employer. My docter contacted the NHS whic is why I got the letter. Fortunately I could work at home .
Hi Terry, was it an isolation letter or did it say sheilding on it sorry to dig down and ask as it's a bit frustrating not knowing if the actual word shielding is used and if an isolation letter would cover me.
Thank you for your response in regards to my original post keep well.
What work do you? Unless your job is one of the essential jobs you shouldn't physically be going into work but should be working from home like most others that are social distancing.
Hi, I understand as I'm in a similar situation and I'm due to go back to work soon. We have been partially closed. My work have said without a letter I will be going back.
My dad received a phone call last night saying he should be shielding hes level 2 on rheumatology chart same as myself.
My sister received a letter and doesn't know why, she had cancer 10 years ago and is on tyroxine only I think. Very confusing, hope you're ok.
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