employer moved me

[1984cockapoo]

Discovered private nhs employer has moved me from room on my own to room with other staff during my absence from work after emergency hip replacement surgery with no consultation 🙁have RA and on anti tnf medication and been in room on own since return to work in 2020 and choose to wear face mask still at work

[rmros]

What is a private NHS employer? Have you asked to discuss this with your line manager or occupational health? If you are still recovering from surgery could you work from home for a while?

Have you been advised to isolate and mask by your doctors? It's your choice to wear a mask, limit social contact etc. And your workplace should make reasonable adjustments if you have a health need. But the key word is reasonable. Maybe it is no longer reasonable to expect to work completely isolated?

That said, they should have discussed the move with you first out of courtesy if nothing else.

[1984cockapoo in reply to rmros]

Hi - GP surgery (!) when I popped into work to drop off leaving present 4 days prior to return to work Practice manager asked to see me to tell me (she knew from previous conversations how against moving back in room with colleagues and that it would not happen for some time and was not even at bottom of her “to do” list ….)

She explained that she hadn’t been able to tell me while on sick leave ….

[Amnesiac3637]

Is there any explanation? Do they need your room for other purposes or have they’ve arbitrarily decided Covid has gone away and they want you back in the mainstream? Is there, while you’ve been off sick, a new and ignorant manager who hasn’t been told why you’ve a separate room?

There’s probably a big grey area now with regards to isolating but if you are still very vulnerable and severely immune suppressed (though anti-tnf not regarded now as particularly high risk) you’ll have to make your case through your HR dept/ management. Can you work from home?

Stress you certainly don’t need after a big op so hope it gets resolved very soon and let us know. Best of luck!

[1984cockapoo in reply to Amnesiac3637]

Hi -thanks for your reply - same practice manager who told me they need room for new member of staff - working from home problematic due to bad internet where we live

[Runrig01]

The evidence late last year, when looking at who qualifies for biologics, found that those on tnf inhibitors are not at greater risk of severe disease. The recommendation is that if only on tnfs and no other comorbidities, then they don’t need antivirals. However clinicians discretion should be used when on other immunosuppressants. Obviously the rules for vaccines are different, and you still qualify for those.

Have you been advised by your rheumatologist, that you need to work alone and continue with your mask, if so they should provide a supporting letter. If it is your choice, then you may need to fight your case, and evidence why it needs to continue. As someone else said though, what you feel is reasonable, often differs from what your employer sees as reasonable. It may benefit you being among the camaraderie of the office environment, from a mental health perspective. However if you feel it’s detrimental to your mental health, then I would seek occupational health support,

Tnf and risks

[1984cockapoo in reply to Runrig01]

Thank you for your reply

[HappykindaGal]

Take it as a positive. It will be uplifting to be working with others again in a team environment. You say it’s a doctors surgery so I imagine they’re pretty well placed to see you’re not at risk. I’ve not heard of anyone isolating now for some time.

[AgedCrone]

Can you explain what a ‘Private NHS’ employer is?

Have you actually asked the reason you have been moved……maybe post pandemic the single room you previously occupied is now needed for another purpose, & rules re accommodating staff where you work have been brought up to date?

[cyberbarn]

Naughty Cyberbarn would be temped to arrive at work in full scale PPE. Nice Cyberbarn would politely and quietly look for a new job. Bolshy Cyberbarn would have a meeting with the PM and senior partner and explain why you need to be isolated from the rest of the staff, and ask them what they are going to do about it. Maybe suggest they properly ventilate the surgery for a start according to this paper wellcomeopenresearch.org/ar...

Good luck with it through, as having worked with GP surgeries I know that each and ever one has their own ideas of reasonable adjustments. And I know there is a lot of churn and shortages for GP staff. So you might be in a good position to have something done that will make the surgery better for everyone!

[aliplayspiano]

Has working in a room on your own been recommended by OH and put in a written statement to HR or is it something that you requested and your employer has accommodated thus far?I have found that my employer has stuck to the OH recommendations for me (car parking close by, later starts) but I’m not sure they would agree to these if they hadn’t been formally recommended by HR. I’m not aware that there is any recommendation now for those on most biologics to isolate at work. I am on tocilizumab and whilst told to shield during covid I have never worked alone since returning to work.

[Green230461]

contact your HR department!