time off work for hospital appointment

Daedalus

Do you have a HR department? Perhaps you can send it to them who will confirm to your line manager it is kosher. Most HR departments I come across are paranoid about confidentiality.

BobQ

noelphobic wrote: »

I did consider that, but that would involve blocking out the part that shows the name of the NHS trust and it would possibly look as though I had forged the letter - although I am sure it would be easy for someone to forge one if they wanted to!

I understand your predicament. I note (for example) that some Trusts specialise in mental health issues and I can see why divulging the name of a trust might give a strong indication of the condition.

Two thoughts (1) Call the Trust and speak to the Patient Liaison helpline or the Department concerned. I cannot believe this is has not come up before. Maybe they can issue a letter which is on NHS paper without specifying the Trust Name. (2) Ask your GP if he/she could issue a letter confirming you have an appointment on that day with an unspecified consultant.

Another option is to show it to HR and ask them to inform the manager its a valid appointment. Or maybe ask you Occupational Health Advisor to act as an intermediary.

Legally an employer has a right to see an appointment letter if you request time off. They may reasonably ask the location of the appointment to assess whether the time off requested is reasonable.

Osarkon

Is your employer really likely to google the place? I would have thought all they want is to see a letter to prove your not just taking the mick.

Daedalus

Osarkon wrote: »

Is your employer really likely to google the place? I would have thought all they want is to see a letter to prove your not just taking the mick.

I think you underestimate how nosy people can be.

noelphobic

Osarkon wrote: »

Is your employer really likely to google the place? I would have thought all they want is to see a letter to prove your not just taking the mick.

I understand the point that you're making, but I have worked for this company for over 20 years and I am not asking for paid time off work so actually find it insulting that I am being asked for evidence that I really do have a medical appointment. If I was skiving in some way then I'm not gaining anything because I'm not being paid for the time that I'm absent.

Tiddlywinks

As a couple of other posters have suggested, does your company have an HR or Occ Health team that you could speak with? They could see the letter and then inform you manager that they have confirmed that you have an appointment but that you want the specific details kept confidential.

noelphobic

Daedalus wrote: »

I think you underestimate how nosy people can be.

I think you're right.

Tiddlywinks

noelphobic wrote: »

I understand the point that you're making, but I have worked for this company for over 20 years and I am not asking for paid time off work so actually find it insulting that I am being asked for evidence that I really do have a medical appointment. If I was skiving in some way then I'm not gaining anything because I'm not being paid for the time that I'm absent.

BUT... you are asking to be absent during your normal contracted hours - that needs to be authorised and that is why your manager wants proof of your reason.

If they didn't routinely ask for this kind of proof then what would stop people constantly asking to change their times of attendance for all sorts or trivial stuff?

noelphobic

BobQ wrote: »

Legally an employer has a right to see an appointment letter if you request time off. They may reasonably ask the location of the appointment to assess whether the time off requested is reasonable.

I would have thought that the legality of this was, at best, a grey area, especially when the employee is not being paid for their time off. It obviously also leads in to issues of confidentiality and how can an employer decide if a request for time off (especially unpaid) is reasonable? Surely any medical treatment is necessary and therefore time off for it is reasonable? An employer is not the best person to decide what medical treatment is and isn't necessary.

mountainofdebt

noelphobic wrote: »

I would have thought that the legality of this was, at best, a grey area, especially when the employee is not being paid for their time off. It obviously also leads in to issues of confidentiality and how can an employer decide if a request for time off (especially unpaid) is reasonable? Surely any medical treatment is necessary and therefore time off for it is reasonable? An employer is not the best person to decide what medical treatment is and isn't necessary.

But the whole point of the letter is to prove that you want the time off for a medical appointment not to decide if the treatment is necessary or not.

And I think you're nit picking when you say it doesn't matter because you are asking for it to be unpaid ...its still time away from the office.

I recently had to have time off for an hospital appointment for a (female) condition - I didn't have any issue in giving my male boss a copy of the letter.