I have been a nurse for 32 yrs (I’m 51)worked for the NHS for 22 years and the last 10 years have worked for the MOD at the local army barracks. I was able to continue paying into the NHS superannuation scheme when i joined the MOD. I have recently applied for ill health retirement as i’m having chemo for lung and bone secondaries (original diagnosis 2005)and know i am not fit to continue nursing. As all the HR and OH teams for the MOD are down south they use ATOS to do their medicals. I have just received an appt for a medical next Frid and am apprehensive due to the bad reputation ATOS have that if you can lift a pen then you can work. Was just wondering if anyone else has experience of this.
They have people there that have expertise on the financial side of things and I know when I had to claim Employment Support Allowance as I’d been self employed they were very helpful. We discussed the ATOS medical that I was due to have. They may be able to help you.
Others on this site may be able to offer more help.
I think the MOD using ATOS is a bit different to the whole ESA thing with the benefits people using ATOS. ATOS follow a handbook for the Benefits agency and it is the interpretation of this handbook and how they conduct the benefit agencys medicals is what causes controversy.
I can understand why you would be concered but really your medical for the MOD HR/OH should have a different approach I would think
You do have the right to ask your HR/OH what to expect at the medical and what guidelines are used and what format it takes
Thanks for your replies ladies. I attended the medical on Friday and the dr couldn’t have been nicer. He said that my application should go thro no problem and i would get tier 2 which is a relief.
Hi Trish, that all sound very promising. I’m a nurse and got ill health retirement in February. I was expecting Tier 1, but got Tier 2. My quality of life now is so much better and I cant put into words how having got rid of the stresses of nursing as made me feel. People keep asking me if I miss nursing and the answer is no no no, I am just so glad to be out of it.
Enjoy your retirement, you deserve it.
xxx
Hi Trish,
congratulations on getting ill-health retirement, I really hope you can enjoy a better quality of life now.
Hi Jane, was interested in your story of ill health retirement. I am also a nurse (27 yrs in NHS), was dx 7 yrs ago and although I don’t have secondaries (that I am aware of)I am not coping terribly well to be honest. I have lymphodema, fibromyalgia and osteoporosis following treatment. With that I have psychological problems coping with clinical work due to lots of clinical errors throughout my management. As a result I moved into a non clinical position (
desk) but still suffer from crippling loss of confidence and brain fog which makes it really hard remembering things and makes me a lot slower than my collegues! This causes me constant stress which I would love to be rid of.
I feel that retirement would be a good option for me - I have seen OH in the past with returns to work issues but the subject has never been raised - I was simply told to move to a non clinical role (which I’ve done) but still the issues continue.
i would wlcome any advice ladies, and truly wish you the very best for your retirement. Take care XXXXX
If you aren’t able to continue with your work because of the permanent deterioration in your health, surely you should be able to get ill-health retirement? For goodness sake that’s what it’s there for! What is this coutry coming to, why did we pay NI contributions all these years? I’m fuming on your behalf! Are you in a union at all, you paid a lot for that over the years too, so they would be here to help fight your corner. I’m constantly amazed how we struggle and strive to cope, we pretend it’s only cancer it’s no big deal, business as usual, now get back to work RIGHT NOW!!!
Sorry, Deep breaths. Got a bit carried away.
Trish, I’m so pleased you have got through the system; I’m doing a happy dance for you and baking a cake for your on-line party!
Hi Happy shopper - I instigated my ill health retirement, no-one at work mentioned it really.I had reached a point where I just couldnt cope anymore, and the stress was awful, I would go home most days and cry.Like you, OH had said to move to a less stressful job, but there weren’t any, so stayed on a busy ward.
Before I went ahead, I went to my line manager HR and OH to see if they would support my application. I wrote to my consultant and asked for a letter of support. Once I’d got everyone’s support it was just a matter of completing the paper work.The process took about 8 weeks and was fairly straightforward. I didnt have to go for an inteview or medical either.
Why dont you go to your manager and tell her exactly how it is and ask for a OH referral. When you get there explore the retirement option and take it from there.
If I can be of more assistance, just ask.
I wish you well.
Love Jane
Hi Jane,
I’m terribly sorry for taking such a long time to respond to your post - it’s a combination of dense brain fog and my incompetence at not remembering where I have posted!! I am sorry.
Congratulations on your ill health retirement and hope you are well, and same to all of the other ladies here.
I am still thinking of pursuing this option - I’m just so scared, it seems so daunting! as well as the effects of BC, I am also the proud owner of:
Fibromalgia
Lymphodema
Sjogrens Disease
Osteoporosis
I took myself out of clinical work as really struggling with shifts. Now do desk job but find that is making lymphodema worse and am really struggling with fatigue,muscle,joint pains - really impinges on home life. My days off are spent resting and getting over fatigue for return to work.Don’t think I can carry on for much longer.
Have worked for NHS 27 years. Do you think these conditions sound acceptable for ill health? At the moment Access to work have done a workstation assessment to see what equipment I need to help with my lymphodema , but that doesn’t help with the rest of my problems.
Good luck to you all,XXX
Thank you XXX
No doubt you are aware, but just in case; get a copy of the sickness and related policies and see where you are on the pathway. If you are in Unison or another union, engage with your representatives to go over your options BEFORE
Hi Happy Shopper,
I supported a colleague who applied for ill-health retirement and the OH Doctor told her that one of the critera (apart from the actual health condition is that when someone is taking all their time after work recovering to be well enough to go back to work again and has little time or energy for anything else then the work life balance is out of kilter and the person is not well enough to sustain a job.
Hope this helps you decide to go for it - the worst they can say is “no”
And sometimes - quite a lot it seems - they say Yes
Good luck!
Also, the Access to Work assessment will show how much extra adaptations and kit you need, just to make possible your second-choice job, that is extra evidence in your favour.
