OH advised reduce hours pls help

cherub1969

Hi,

I have just been diagnosed with having arthritis in my neck i have been in so much pain since may with not one day without any relief of this, i am due to have physio to help my condition.
I work in a call center full time so the majority of my day is sat at a desk in front of a computer screen.

I have recently been to see orthopedic consultant who advised my job role would be causing my problems as sitting static for hours on end and may be worth either getting another job but nothing manual which could aggravate my neck even more or possibly reducing my hours,
I live alone and pay a mortgage and i am on good wage but i couldn't afford to cut my hours, I have also been to see OH who also advised on reducing my hours, I know my health should be more important than money but who is going to pay my mortgage?

So i guess my question is if i HAVE to reduce my hours as a last resort, is there anything i can claim to support me financially?

I would be grateful for any help and advice.

Thank You in advance

Cherub x

Hammyman

This may help - taken from Direct Gov website:

Safe Computer Use:
Entitlement to breaks
There is no legal limit to how long you should work at a VDU, but under health and safety regulations you have the right to breaks from work using a VDU. These don't have to be rest breaks, just different types of work.
Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) suggests it's better to take shorter breaks more often at your workstation than longer breaks and less often, eg a 5-10 minute break after 50-60 minutes continuous screen and/or keyboard work is likely to be better than a 15 minute break every two hours. But if your job means spending long periods at a VDU, eg data input, then longer breaks from your workstation should be introduced.
When working at a VDU make sure you can sit in a comfortable position, and keep a good posture. Your eyes should be level with the screen. Make sure you have enough space and don't sit in the same position for too long.
If you are disabled, your employer's duty to make reasonable adjustments for you may mean that they will provide you with special computer equipment or alter existing equipment to suit your needs. You can also get advice and maybe help with paying for equipment from your local Jobcentre Plus.