i am really fed up. I returned to work as an administrator in the nhs in February 6 days after finishing radiotherapy. I was treated really unkindly by my colleagues in my office and ended up off wk again in March for a further month. When I returned to wk in mid April I was allowed to wk 3 days pw instead of 4 till the end of May. I referred myself to OH as my manager failed to do it and they have recommended that I continue on 3 days for a few more months but my manager won’t allow it and I have to return to 4 days next week. I am exhausted but don’t know what to do. What’s the point of OH if their advice is ignored.
Jules
Hi Jules,
I’m sorry to read you are having problems with work. Macmillan have some information about Work and Cancer which you may find helpful. I’ve attached a link for you.
be.macmillan.org.uk/be/s-363-work-and-cancer.aspx
Very best wishes
Janet
BCC Moderator
Hi Jules,
Have you seen the EMPLOY charter on th3 breast camcer site, or requested the work and cancer booklet from macmillan ?
I can highly recomnend these items, plus soeaking again with occ health, and ACAS and your union if you are in one. Definately start keeping detailed records and document your concerns in.emails.
I have just resigned from.my position as felt i could no longer sustain the stresses it bought and keep recivering. This is not the best option, but having struggled so long to regain my place in the workforce i felt it was my only option as the fight had drained me.
Goid luck … you will find more written by myself and others if you use the search facility.
Thinking of you
LL xx
Thanks everyone I have looked up the info you have suggested and taken notes… I have a meeting with HR tomorrow and my manager. My manager is in bother for not following the nhs sickness policy. I am going to speak to OH again before the meeting.
I hope I get more support after the meeting but I doubt it. My manager seriously doesn’t take kindly to anyone causing trouble even if it’s because she hasn’t done what she should.
Jules106
If you can speak to ACAS too ahead of the meeting, they are so knowledgeable, and can give good plain english advice. Good luck, thinking if you x x
LL
Jules106
You could also try checking other NHS employment policies such as on equalities and diversity re sickness.
MacMillan have a specialist team which can advise on employment issues…you usually need to call them and wait for a call back from the team which seems to take about 3 days.
There is also a lot of info in the Disability Act and Equality Commissions’s guidance for employers for Disability and Equalities.
If the OH is recommending a slower return, visit yr GP, see what they say and if they agree with OH if they will provide a fit not specifying number of days etc. If your employer ignores all that they may be leaving themselves open to a claim if yr health suffers as a result. Try to convey to yr employer that u need the return to be sustainable and that u would think that would be in their interests too.
It’s hard when u are recovering to deal with such matters on top, I’ve been driven by the feeling of no option and what seems right/fair to make my employer consider what I felt was a lack of care from both employer and their OH. The way multiple aspects of my return have been handled has been bad, and having to put my case across stressful.
You just need to consider your options and how much to push…not easy when yr battery packs may b low on charge anyway.
Hope it gets easier
Seabreeze
HR sided with my manager and insisted I return to full hours. OH aren’t happy. From the meeting my manager was supposed to write to OH explaining their decision and devise a written timetable detailing how I will take back all my remit. I also asked for some support so I can delegate some tasks. None of this has happened yet. I don’t know where all this protection we are supposed to get from the equalities act comes from. It seems all employers need to say is that they have to meet the needs of the service and they can ignore any support they are supposed to provide.
I am going to go and see my GP. I have been dogged with wretched sore throats every other week since I went back. I don’t don’t if it is related to me overdoing things at work. I feel rubbish and totally fed up.
I am on leave after Tuesday for a week and a half hopefully I can recharge my batteries
Julie