Hi, I posted about my application for ill health. A couple of weeks ago. 32 years teaching, off for 6 months now. Never been off before, kept pushing through.
Had RA for nearly 26 years.
Pension doctor who I have never met informed me new drugs will make a difference so on probabilities I should be able to return to work. So basically declined. Just started Barticinib this week. GP very supportive, Occ Health very supportive. Work hoping I’d get it.
Pensions: Occ Health review person thinks that paper work from consultant, whom I saw twice since 2022 states mild activity some flares , all good possible remission on that given blood test day, when I have been dragging myself into work taking no sick days. So the paper work is light to support it. Hubby thinks they are pushing me to half pay and taking a chance on the probability . I’m 55 in Feb and will resign then as I can’t go back to work. I’m devastated . What can I do now?
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126Jessie
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I do empathise, I went through it 6yr ago. I had a union rep support me, did you have that. If not it may be worth contacting and see if they’ll support you with an appeal. You do have to evidence everything. So I had to show all the previous reasonable adjustments I’d tried. I submitted physio reports backing my restrictions with movement, and the stiffness I had, as well as occupational therapy. I had several specialists, and submitted all their reports. In my own statement I would refer to these summaries, when stating anything re issues I had day to day. You do need to assume these Drs know nothing, and send info re your illnesses. I have AS and the NASS charity provided a letter, confirming my difficulties and stressing how it impacted me day to day. Not sure if NRAS offer similar. He also provides letters of support for blue badge and pip application.
Any healthcare professional who has given you any summaries re your treatment, send them in. Copies of your prescription, and highlighting, your increase risk of infection if your on biologics and dmards. But definitely get union support, mine was so valuable, in putting my evidence together. Also your employer can submit evidence of reasonable adjustments tried. If you haven’t tried any reasonable adjustments, that will make it more challenging, as you’ve really got to show you’ve tried everything. I wish you luck, I found the whole 12 weeks stressful. I’d had a severe stroke, on top of other health issues, I was awarded tier 1, then had to reapply 3yrs later for tier 2, and go through it all again. I was 52 when I went through it 🤗
I thought I had it covered. Re medical records. He seemed fixated on checking back to 2022 when appointments were still recovering from Covid and slimmed down. The wheels fell off in October 2023 for me. 2 Occupational Drs noted my condition and suggested I apply but as there is no paper trail to the Rheumy he has dismissed it. I did say to my consultant that I was struggling but she is only interested in blood results and would never ask about how you are really feeling. Feel so let down and upset. I have contacted my union as I was very much doing this alone. Thank you for taking the time to reply. I hope you are doing ok, you have a lot on your plate with your own health, I appreciate your reply x
I hope your union rep is able to support you. It is stressful. I had to attend a capability hearing, as they, myself and OH were all saying I wasn’t capable of doing the job. I was fortunate literally the day before my hearing, I was accepted for tier 1. If they’d declined I would have been put on the redeployment register, for the length of my notice, which for me was 3 months. If nothing had come up in that time, I would have been dismissed. Thankfully I was spared that route, which would have been more stress. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you 🤞🤗
Don’t resign…. half pay is better than nothing and gives you time to fight this. Your union should be doing the main leg work re fighting the decision for you. If you have a leadership role/TLR you can relinquish this on medical grounds and there is a ‘stepping down’ form on Teachers Pension where you apply for your pension to be as if you did your leadership role until retired but you must do the stepping down in a controlled manner not just quit.
At any future personal meetings/Teams meetings have a 3rd person present for you (preferably union rep). Ask work to have an ‘Access to work’ assessment for you. They will make recommendations such as additional PPA time, working on one floor if teaching from different class bases, not on break duties etc and it’s further evidence re ill health retirement (I think this needs doing at work so it can only be done on return but can be an agreed condition of returning that the assessment is done asap).
Have they offered a shorter working week when you return… you’ll be surprised how much easier a 4 day week is compared to a 5 day one and the take home pay isn’t such a big drop after tax etc.
If your employer don’t try at least 1 of these reasonable adjustment and after 6 months of half pay they dismiss you there would be a case for claiming ‘constructive dismissal’… you union will know all of this.
Do not resign yet. There are always options .Contact your pension company and ask for a pension forecast and ask the earliest date you are eligible to retire.You may be able to retire although possibly you may have to forfeit some pension.
I tried the ill health route, had all reasonable adjustments. My rheumy wasn't helpful. I had had enough and retired anyway but lost 40% of my final pension as I retired 10 years early.
I can go at 55, in February. If it all doesn’t go my way and I can access my pension, I’ll just have to cut my cloth accordingly…… writes easier than it may be.
I applied for DLA last month, another battle I am sure but got to be worth a try. 10 years ago my c health nurse said I should apply, better late than never I suppose.
Enjoy your retirement, I hope Iwill be able to helps others when I reach my retirement like you
Don't let them win!! Keep at it. As everyone above has said union rep is key, plus is your GP supportive would they write a report detailing as much as poss.Really they are just trying not to pay
So sorry you are having to go through this. I can’t imagine how stressful it must be. Mine was straightforward even though I was only 45 I could no longer do my job. They said there were no reasonable adjustments to make my job easier. Please don’t give up.
All my original reports said the same, then a final paper review it changed to New medication in the balance of probabilities she will be fine though it may take months for this to happen. I wish a certain advisor had been with me last night when I collapsed due to my new medication causing stomach pain. I wont give up! Thank you so much for replying x
BBC Morning Live today are going to be talking about returning to work and particularly that you should not resign. They have a website which they put information on. Might be worth a look.
I am so sorry to read this and suggest stay off sick, and see what happens. Dont just resign and talk to union rep. But it's the stress, you could do without. I'd not rush back but it might take another six months and let them pay into your pension pot. Again I'm so sorry I took my final salary pension after agreeing with my Local Authority at my request to go a couple of years early and seeing the LA doctor was just a formality. And in my case it wasn't the RA but I'd had enough after 38 years of being spat at, shouted at, and all the rest of the public fury that went with trying to help a debtor. I feel that this is really unfair on you and not a good advertisement for potential teachers. xx
I have given 32 years to my school, with exemplary attendance, with the exception of having to shield during Covid. I have pushed myself not to let others and my kids down and I have no more to give. Others, I know have that have a track record of poor attendance and lesser conditions that have played the system have been awarded IHR which makes this even harder to stomach.
Thank you everyone for your support. I’m still at the bursting into tears stage. Feeling poorly idue to starting new meds hasn’t helped. I contacted my union. They will get back to me next week.My line managers cannot believe I have been knocked back and are going to provide info re if and how I can appeal. I thought about contacting my rheumatologists secretary pointing out the discrepancies on the Information shared or how it had been interpreted. Then I thought will this just get her back up! She is not the most approachable and I often feel not listened to, evidently this may be correct. My plan was to note down all of my medication tried and taken and how I am in my place of work/ home managing. Basically I went to work came home and slept, I thought of also asking my Doctor to do something similar? I wil not resign and let my pay run down. I just want to run ( hobble ) away. Thanks so much for your support. Big girl pants to be put on on Monday when I will have hopefully hatched a plan xx
Hi, you should be seeing an independent rheumy type doctor, who your Occ Health should find and set an appointment. He is the one who gives the final say so, for permanent ill health retirement, not one that is employed by your company. I went throught= this at age 55 and was granted Permanent ill health retirement, which means you are not capable to work anymore x
I went through this 6 yr ago, when I worked in the nhs, and they were more than happy to accept my rheumatologists report. In fact it was the pensions that approached him.
I had thought an independent rheumatologist appointment might be worth getting. The thought of having a conversation with a rheumatologist that lasts more than 4-5 minutes, once a year with three blood tests results over the full year in front of her saying things are good when you, over the year at times, have have felt horrendous would be so welcome.
My current consultant is very blood test focused, checking that the medication hasn’t killed you!! Yet she spends no time asking about how your health is holistically, living with RA. My previous consultant, was a stern no nonsense woman who always did blood tests and the big picture of how you are coping living with it. She would not solely rely on blood tests to treat you. She would also examine your joints, keeping her hand on them for some time, unlike the whistle stop tour I have had recently. I will speak to my GP about this and maybe she can write me a referral letter so that I can organise a private consultation. The council, I doubt would pay for this, they changed to the cheaper Occ health provider that has mucked up my form already. Great advice though, thank you.
Hi everyone, you are so lovely and definitely my cheer leaders, all dealing with your own issues and taking time for me is so appreciated.
I received an email from my Human resource manager. I was so upset that i missed it. Coupled with having a really bad reaction to my Barticinib causing me to pass out with stomach pain. Either that or some stress response, I am not sure. It has not been my best week.
The Human Resource manager expressed she was so sorry with the conclusion reached by the independent paper review, compiled by company employed by the council. Apparently their motto is …..here to help keep people working!
She has asked me to complete the Pension Med 1 form with my GP and she will fast track it to the Pension, disregarding the other form.
I had previously asked my GP to do this form in January, but as I had not been through all of the occupational questions yet, she felt it was best the employers occupational team did it and my work were keen for this to happen…… at first!
I’ve had two reports from the occupational appointments detailing all of my work related issues and symptoms, declaring me unfit for work and specifying my condition.
I spent today cut and pasting these into the Med 1 report, making them fit the questions. I then detailed all my medication right back to 1998 and all of the additional treatment that I have received alongside other health concerns. I am 100% this information is accurate , right down to the paired back appointments during Covid and inability to seek support when struggling.
I plan on sending the form to my Dr electronically tomorrow with a letter stating that I know I have an appointment with her on Friday to see her but I am concerned I might get too upset and not be able to tell her everything that has happened and what I am asking her to do.
I have asked her, that now she has an almost completed form would she read it amend it add to it, where required and sign it off.
Would be interested what peoples thought are. I am a bit nervous as she was unsure about filling it in the work questions last time, but I think these have been covered now. She is supportive off and IHR and has signed me off, now month 7.
Appreciate any advice as always, once again it is a lonely place in my head, although I have sent all my information to my union for support now. Thanking you so much. C x
I think your on the right track sending the form with a covering letter before the appointment.Have you got a double appointment booked so you've the time to talk.I'm cheering from Sussex , your doing great
Handed in paper copy of completed application form for IHR to Dr this morning with a wee letter asking if she would cross check/ add /delete and sign off, if happy .
Also included a memory stick with it digitally stored do she can alter it, I hit another barrier with the receptionist saying that sending it as an attachment or an email would hit the firewall and not get through. Nothing is ever straightforward.!!
. All in, need to try and not overthink everything and look after myself due to being poorly with starting my new meds and the stress of this.
Just wanted to say thank you again for getting me through these horrible last few days. I hope you all have a pain free day and get a chance enjoy some ☀️ sunshine . You are all such lovely people x
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