Hi Lozza,
I have been lucky that I have been supported by HR and sent to an outsourced Occupational Health before my return. This meant that an objective, third party provided a recommendation to my employer about how much time I would need to get back to full strength. After 12 months away from work it was recommended that I have a 12 week phased return starting on 1.5 days per week. At my latest review my GP was happy to agree with these recommendations and completed the sick note/fit to work form accordingly.
This means that I do not have to take leave etc to work part time during the 12 weeks - it is accepted that this is the best way to help me back to work and to stay at work.
Does your company have an HR department? Do you have a staff handbook or Sick Absence Guidelines as these might provide you with additional information on how your company is likely to deal with you (your own manager might be quite inexperienced in this area and give you the wrong advice). According to the lady I met at Occ Health although people are going back to work after cancer treatment and a long absence it is still unusual and so many companies/managers don’t really know how to deal with this.
Helen
Hi Helen
i work in the NHS and our OH has been outsourced to Atos. I’ve had no contact from HR am not sure how it all works between them all. OH suggested (i have a copy of letter that went to manager) that I am re-referred after rads side effects are known and suggested after May. But as I have my GP appointment on 24th April I’m feeling stressed as to what is expected of me. I do want to go back to work - don’t get me wrong - but am worried as to whether I’m ok to start straight back on 1st may as that is what my manager is expecting. I think she is expecting to bypass OH…
I’m on my second week post rads (finished Good Friday) - skin peeling around nipple area (!!) and split under breast but am using creams from GP to treat.
Nobody had contacted me since finishing rads to ask me to come in to discuss returning so am wondering if its up to me to do it.
I downloaded the sickness policy a while ago but it hasnt been updated to reflect the changes to outsourced OH.
It just all seems such a muddle!
Thanks for your reply tho
Lozza x 
Hi Lozza,
I would strongly suggest that you stick with Occ Health - maybe contact them yourself (if there are details on the letter). You could also contact your HR who could talk you through any relevant changes to the guidelines. Our Occ Health was outsourced whilst I was off work and it didn’t change anything in the policy, all that changed was me having to go to another company rather than in-house. I found my GP was very happy to go along with what Occ Health recommended so perhaps you could ask your GP to sign you off until the meeting with Occ Health and then you will have a little more clarity.
I don’t know your manager and I am sure he/she must have their reasons for wanting to bypass OH but I think you need to think about number one here and get as much support for a phased return as you can. I would have imagined that the NHS has experience of phased returns etc. Hopefully, some of the many NHS employees who are also BC ladies on this site can tell you about how they returned to work and give you some advice.
Helen
By coincidence I was asked by my union to comment on a draft policy yesterday about Reasonable Adjustments under the Equality Act. In order to do this I had to research a bit what recommendations there are for HR depts when dealing with people affected by cancer.
I found a wealth of information on the Macmillan website. The link is
macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Livingwithandaftercancer/Workandcancer/Workandcancer.aspx
There are some useful checklists and suggested questions to plan your return, plus advice for employers. I only wish I had known it was there before I returned.
As for the policy I was shown, it referred mainly to the needs of someone with specific physical disbilities or sensory impairment so while it was promising, did not fit for me. At least I have had the chance to input at the right time though.
Useful link Kahren, I have forwarded the link and some extracts to my HR manager.
My bosses are still arguing about who should do my return to work interview - as in neither of them want to do it. If I leave it up to them I will have been back over 3 weeks before either of them see me. I have now got fed up and sent them an agenda for the meeting and a date next week as this situation is ridiculous. Talk about managing your manager.
I have spent some time looking at our policies today and they seem really out of date and don’t cover the situation of someone returning to work after an absence for cancer treatment. I was very lucky that the Occ Health people I saw were familiar with cancer treatments and returning to work and have recommended a very good phased return. I am just struggling with lack of contact and therefore support from management - am happy to get on with things myself but there are some things I cannot do myself and rely on my manager.
Ah well, tomorrow is another day.
Helen
Hello Helen
You asked if anyone has had a positive experience with work. I am a teacher in a secondary school in the run up to an OFSTED visit. For anyone who is familiar with schools this is a very stressful time. Despite this my school have been fantastic. They told me to go off in advance of my first operation (I have had three now since Dec '12), they sent flowers and gifts, they e-mail text and ring and my closest friends have visited. My Heads of Department (I work for 3) have all been amazing. One is a little more shy about the actual subject but gives me bear hugs and reassurance I’m missed but must take all the time I need.
One of the assistant heads has taken me under her wing and supports me at every turn. I am going back between operations and she is really protective. She wants me on a phased return with my time-table re-evaluated to assess the impact of individual classes on my stress levels etc.
I should be going back on April 29th once I have seen Occupational Health and will have a one to one with Senior Management when I go in.
Hopefully this is encouragement that there are some excellent employers out there who understand what this is like to deal with.
Hi Mel here, just thought Id update…dont know whether to laugh or cry to be honest. I thought Id arrange a catch up with my head teacher…we had a coffee and caught up generally with work. She then went onto say i’ll probably teach groups in morning which is fine with me. She was also singing the praises of people filling in for me…fine again but not very thoughtful but hey ho. The most rediculous thing was she was reorganising the office…since ive been off it appears my desk has become a hot desk…so she thought it a good idea to move me to an upstairs office…bearing in mind my hip causes me pain sometimes (which she knows) I couldnt believe it. It was all a part of making me feel demoted I think. To be honest what will be will be. She needs to be careful though as I will fight for my rights. I love my job and dont intend to give up yet.
We need some compassion from our employers I think.
Love to all
Mel
Hi everyone
Thanks for all your thoughts and comments.
Helen - Thank you xxx
Purplemama - I wish everyone’s employers were as thoughtful and organised as yours. L
Hugs to everyone
Lozza x
How are you feeling Lozza ? I know it is sometimes a very difficult question to answer BUT the reason I mention it is because when we go back to work we are expected to do the same amount of workload and be just as focused and determined as before. I too had phased return to work and although my employers were excellent I still struggled to give them 100% for the 4 hours I worked as I was tired and drained of energy and still had Chemo Brain.
If you feel you need more time Lozza , then tell your GP on the 24th. They will understand. We all want to try and please our managers but at the end of the day it is our decision.When I finally returned to work after several months I was so exhausted. It is so different from sitting at home reading magazines, watching daytime TV and listening to music.
Give yourself the time you need and deserve. Lots of love Tracy xxx
I have also has a very positive experience. I have worked at some level all the way through treatment and have been given complete flexibility to work from home and as much as I have felt able do do. I am now phasing back into the office and am currently doing two days in and two from home (I work 4 days a week). There is one lady in my dept who also had BC, hers was more aggressive and she needed chemo before surgery and was out for a year, she is back to full time now but like me she was allowed to determine her own phased return. One more colleague has just finished chemo and is having surgery this week and she has taken the full time off but again, will be able to choose how and when she phases back. We are all different and the company has been brilliant in recognising that and allowing us to manage what works for each of us. We are all very loyal to the company and our managers and we will work as hard as we can as we all feel valued and cared about. Unlucky though, there are only 30 of us in the dept and three have had BC and one had lymphoma (he has also recently phased back after a year of gruelling treatment and has now been granted a 2 month sabbatical to go travelling). There are some great employers out there and I am lucky enough to be working for one of them
Jx
Wow Jayne, you have restored my faith in employers. In my place of work there are 3 of us with bc…two of us with secondaries. Our experiences are not so positive I am sad to say. I think the management would prefer it if we were not there. Am just sorting out a return now but am not sure how supportive they will be. Oh well. What will be will be
Night
Mel xx
Purple mania am sure that your post wasnt there before!! I wish my head was as supportive as your staff have been.
Am pleased that some schools are supportive…we are on an ofsted run up too. I am dep head…just think am not wanted there at mo 
It does restore my faith in human nature and management to hear that some managers and companies really do provide good support I’m a little envious really! Thank you for the positive accounts Jayne and Purplemama.
I am still battling to actually see a manager - literally not seen one at all yet, not even in a corridor. At the moment my 2 line managers are bickering about who is the busiest and so cant meet with me - I am almost tempted to stop going in until they sort themselves out, but I don’t think that would actually be in my best interests. Instead I have issued an ultimatum, a return to work interview at 9 am next Tuesday, I have created an agenda and sent it to both and askd them to confirm. Let’s see what happens.
I am back at the hospital today for an ultrasound as I have got some problems in my arm pit near my ANC scar - fingers crossed I dont need a biopsy as last time I passed out!! I think the anticipation of today has raised my stress levels a bit so I really dont need any aggravation from work. Wish me luck …
Helen
Good luck Helen - do hope all goes well for you.
((((squishy hugs)))) - will be thinking of you.
Lozza x
Thanks Lozza. I am really quite anxious about this, stomach is full of butterflies and I have not been concentrating well this morning at all. I am sure I am worrying about nothing but I still don’t seem to be able to stop. Thanks for the good wishes, much appreciated
Helen
Yippee!! No biopsy needed today - all looks ok and so I enter the land of NED.
Now, I just need to sort out the daft b**gers at work
Helen
Oh Helen I’m soooo pleased!! What a relief.
Celebratory drink tonight me thinks!
congratulatory hugs!
Lozza x
Pleased for you Helen! What a relief that must be. I know the idea of recurrence is quite high on my list of anxieties-I -will- try -not -to -give -in -to.
I managed my first really full day today which feels like a triumph too! I am tired but it is a satisfied tired, if that makes sense.
I agree it is good to hear of the really positive experiences. I think that it would be really good to be given a “Dealing with Work” pack amongst the info you are given at the beginning of treatment. One of the documents I looked at talked about agreeing a communication plan as you go off that covers contact while you are off and agrees the plan for return. I think it would have helped me no end.
Any way, enjoy an evening off - work can wait til the morning!
Kahren
Hi Buffy
I was really horrified by the way your school are treating you, I know how hard you will have worked to achieve your current position. Can’t they see beyond the cancer to the skills that you brought to the role previously and help you get back into your job so they can reap those benefits again.
My school have previously had a TA off with BC for 9months mx and reconstruction, perhaps that helped.
Another friend of mine is a TA in a primary where the Head has had BC and is ideally placed to understand the impact on work and home life. My friend, who had a WLE, has just finished chemo and is about to start rads. The worst person in her school has turned out to be the Head who cannot bear to look at her or talk to her and avoids contact as much as possible. We are at a loss to understand why the one person who should be able to empathise and set the lead for other staff is behaving like this.
Perhaps SMT need to be given specific training on working with individuals dealing with cancers and other illnesses.
I do hope things improve for you.
Best wishes
Purplemama (Trudie)
I too can report positive feedback.
I went into work the day after my dx to inform them of my position and left that day and didn’t return for 6 months whilst I had mx and chemo.
Througout my sick leave, I was in constant touch with work went in to see them on their encouragement about 3 times, this for me was a huge step forward as it meant I was able to face colleagues wearing a wig which I would be doing on my return.
I went back to work 3 weeks after last chemo and I was doing a phased return, the first week I just worked 9-3 but by the 2nd week I was doing my usual 8-5.30.
I was fully briefed on what had gone on during my absence and told that as soon as I was feeling tired I must go home, because they were so understanding with me, I never once left work early.
I have since had 3 recon operations and had additional time off, each time I have had fantastic support and it was made clear to me to only return when I felt ready.
Jude