NHS/Phased Returns

hayley11

I have been off work for 3 weeks with a bad back, doctors have said it's sciatica and I am receiving physio through the occupational health dept at work. I work in the library and work 5 hours mon - fri.

I was due to go back in today but yesterday my back kind of went again and i've been in lots of pain through the night and this morning. I rang work and said I really wanted to come back but I know I couldn't manage 5 hours at the moment. I asked if I could do a couple of hours and work up to my full hours. My manager point blank refused, I don't get it. Surely it would be better to get me back into work gradually rather than wait god knows how long til my back is a lot better.

Does anybody work in the NHS and know whether they do phased returns, i've googled it and can't find anything too official but some things say they do. Do you think it would be worth me ringing the occupational health dept?

Thanks
Hayley x

SomeBozo

Does anybody work in the NHS and know whether they do phased returns

Yes they do phased returns but its down to the manager and operational need! Its not a automatic right.

For admin people I allow phased return to work, but for clinical people I prefer them off to fully recover and cover with the bank, its just easier.

Bozo

hayley11

SomeBozo wrote: »

Yes they do phased returns but its down to the manager and operational need! Its not a automatic right.

For admin people I allow phased return to work, but for clinical people I prefer them off to fully recover and cover with the bank, its just easier.

Bozo

I didn't ask if it was a right, although if it helps somebody get back into work, I can't see a good reason why any manager would refuse it.

I'm not clinical, work in a libary. I can't understand why she has refused it though, maybe she misunderstood what I was talking about because I didn't use the term phased return. I might ring her back and talk to her about it again. It just doesn't make sense at all to me.

SomeBozo

I didn't ask if it was a right, although if it helps somebody get back into work, I can't see a good reason why any manager would refuse it.

I'm not clinical, work in a libary. I can't understand why she has refused it though, maybe she misunderstood what I was talking about because I didn't use the term phased return. I might ring her back and talk to her about it again. It just doesn't make sense at all to me.

I cant answer any of those questions, you need to ask your manager that.

All I can say is that its down to the manager to offer this. If they agree it to it, Occy Health and even HR can help to achieve it. But its not their decision.

Bozo

jumpycheese1

My mother did suffer from sciatica and was off work for 6 weeks back in 1999 (still has the skin sensitivity which never goes away) and works in a library, like you. She works at a uni library. She did reduced hours. Her contractual hours are 18.5 a week, so she worked 10 hours for a couple of weeks, then a week of 14.5 hours before she went back to her normal hours.

Most workplaces prefer their employees to stagger their return to work as being off sick for weeks then suddenly trying to work a full day will physically tire you and may bring back the illness/condition/injury which you were off work with.

hayley11

jumpycheese1 wrote: »

My mother did suffer from sciatica and was off work for 6 weeks back in 1999 (still has the skin sensitivity which never goes away) and works in a library, like you. She works at a uni library. She did reduced hours. Her contractual hours are 18.5 a week, so she worked 10 hours for a couple of weeks, then a week of 14.5 hours before she went back to her normal hours.

Most workplaces prefer their employees to stagger their return to work as being off sick for weeks then suddenly trying to work a full day will physically tire you and may bring back the illness/condition/injury which you were off work with.

See now this makes sense, I can't for the life of me understand why my manager refused it. Like I said though, she might have just misunderstood what I was asking. Not been able to get hold of her today so i'll try again in the morning.

Thanks for your replies

ohreally

Section 14.11 of your terms and conditions handbook deals with a phased return to work.
http://www.nhsemployers.org/restricted/downloads/download.asp?ref=323&hash=a6608930068182ff4b3087508c2dda24&itemplate=e_aboutus_3col_aboutus-2028

hayley11

ohreally wrote: »

Section 14.11 of your terms and conditions handbook deals with a phased return to work.
http://www.nhsemployers.org/restricted/downloads/download.asp?ref=323&hash=a6608930068182ff4b3087508c2dda24&itemplate=e_aboutus_3col_aboutus-2028

Thank you for this, been looking for my handbook but it must be at work, stupid place to leave it eh? :rotfl:

Definitely going to ring in the morning and ask again and if she says no I'm going to quote this. So it does actually seem that it's not at the managers discretion and it is part of the NHS policy, as it should be IMHO.

When I mentioned it today and she said no, I asked if occupational health could arrange something and she said if i'm off the rest of this week, occupational health would get involved and I wouldn't be able to go back until i'd been seen by their doctor. But I do want to come back and feel I am able to go back but just not for my full hours just yet.

Don't understand her attitude really but not to worry, i'll try and sort it out with her tomorrow.

Thanks

clairec79

I was offered it after I was off sick. Occ Health also got notified within hours of me being off sick (collapsing in work and getting admitted will do that for you) and I didn't have to see one of their doctors beforehand,

SomeBozo

So it does actually seem that it's not at the managers discretion

It really is. I strongly urge you to check before you push this.

Your local contract and local policies supercede agenda for change.

Bozo

hayley11

SomeBozo wrote: »

It really is. I strongly urge you to check before you push this.

Your local contract and local policies supercede agenda for change.

Bozo

I'm not going to get narky or anything really get on with my manager but if i'm told I can't do this I want a reason as to why because to me it doesn't make sense. It will benefit everybody involved if I go back on a phased return rather than waiting until I feel up to doing 5 hours a day.

It's not good for you mentally to be off work long term, I know this from a very bad experience so i'm really eager to get back ASAP.