How is it possible to guarantee you will not be off work due to sickness?

t0rt0ise

I think it's fair if the NHS employer were to say that a person isn't fit to do the job and is therefore 'let go', but to order them not to be ill for a certain length of time is ridiculous.

So while the government is insisting that even people with extensive disabilities including long term illnesses, work, they then get formal warnings and eventually sacked when they can't cope. It's all just silly!

marybelle01

ILW wrote: »

Employers such as NHS are not there for the benefit of their employees. People who are constantly off sick (for whatever reason) can be a complete nuisance.

No employer is there for the benefit of their employees. I think we all get that. This is capitalism after all. And people are often a nuisance. The planet would be much quieter without them. A lot less polluted. And run by cockroaches. Which I am sometimes not sure it isn't. People are sick. They can't help that. I don't say it is fair or not fair - it just is. If the sick and disabled don't deserve work, does that mean that we should consign them to benefits? And if it does, do you support a living benefit level for people who can't work due to sickness? And who will pay for that? Isn't it better to have a humane system that supports the sick to carry on working and contributing. The NHS isn't society - it's just a bit of it.

sulphate

Speaking as someone who used to work for the NHS-

- She needs to get occupational health involved as they may be able to suggest things she hasn't thought of
- Unfortunately as well as the obvious advantage of keeping her job she would do best to ask for a OH referral asap because too much time off sick will impact on her ability to get another, especially in the NHS. A colleague of mine had handed in her notice at the NHS and was a week away from starting her new role and then they withdrew her conditional offer of employment due to too much sick leave which came into light after all her references had come through

I hope she finds a solution

King_Nothing

My experience of it is the NHS is a joke for genuine sickness, I don't work in it, but my GF does, she had multiple overnight hospital stays just recently, one of the stints was even in the ward next door to where she works, but was still near enough hauled over the coals for abscence :S it wasn't as if she was out galavanting, or getting wasted in the local clubs while on sick, she was in a bed in the ward next door doped up on morphine. I couldn't keep my cool if my boss castigated me for something like that, I'd end up punching them.

marybelle01

King_Nothing wrote: »

My experience of it is the NHS is a joke for genuine sickness, I don't work in it, but my GF does, she had multiple overnight hospital stays just recently, one of the stints was even in the ward next door to where she works, but was still near enough hauled over the coals for abscence :S it wasn't as if she was out galavanting, or getting wasted in the local clubs while on sick, she was in a bed in the ward next door doped up on morphine. I couldn't keep my cool if my boss castigated me for something like that, I'd end up punching them.

I don't think you get it. It is not about genuine or skiving - it is about sickness, genuine or skiving. Not in work means not in work. Punching your boss would solve the problem though - they'd just sack you and fair do's.

elsien

t0rt0ise wrote: »

I think it's fair if the NHS employer were to say that a person isn't fit to do the job and is therefore 'let go', but to order them not to be ill for a certain length of time is ridiculous.
y!

The targets are to ascertain whether you are able to maintain a certain level of attendance and as you put it "fit for the job."
While people can't help being ill, there are people who take time off at the drop of a hat. And even if they're genuine, it's not sustainable.

I have an employee who was seconded to me because I'm short staffed. She's had absence warnings in the past, and she's been off 3 times in the past 6 weeks. All unrelated and with no underlying health conditions. So yes she now had a target.
Because to be perfectly frank the team is stressed enough without having to carry someone who can't be guaranteed to turn up from one day to the next. I realise that sounds harsh, but I have people with serious health conditions who don't land us in it in the way she does. And I'd much rather she wasn't part of my team. So if she doesn't meet the targets, we will be looking at ending her employment. Thats the realities of today's employment, not just in the NHS but generally speaking.

Mrs_Ryan

Thank you takeaway addict- apology accepted. I had cancer last year and I'm off now as a result of mental health problems developed as a result of the trauma I suffered during diagnosis and consequent treatment. My bosses are very fair and accept my situation, they know I have had an awful time and that my long term absences are always genuine. I am still on paid leave however I am desperate to be back at work. My GP is not happy for that to happen at the moment as my medication is not stable so work respect that decision and would rather I waited.

Takeaway_Addict

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

Thank you takeaway addict- apology accepted. I had cancer last year and I'm off now as a result of mental health problems developed as a result of the trauma I suffered during diagnosis and consequent treatment. My bosses are very fair and accept my situation, they know I have had an awful time and that my long term absences are always genuine. I am still on paid leave however I am desperate to be back at work. My GP is not happy for that to happen at the moment as my medication is not stable so work respect that decision and would rather I waited.

I wish you the speediest of recovery and am glad to hear your bosses are understanding of the situation.

TrickyWicky

Mojisola wrote: »

The NHS is also very unsympathetic with [STRIKE]staff who take time off for sickness.[/STRIKE] anything health related even if they directly cause it

Sorry just needed to correct you as someone who they nearly killed this year.. I've had a very militant attitude towards me since.

FBaby

What people don't realise is that NHS services are seriously affected by staff sickness. It is not just the surgeon being off sick that results in cancellation of operations, and each time, it will cost even if it doesn't go ahead.

NHS sickness have gone out of control resulting in a lot of income loss. This had to stop. It is not the employer that is being difficult, it is the Department of Health that has put targets associated with sickness to be monitored.

There is sickness and sickness. I have seen people calling off sick because of a cold, a sore throat, feeling a bit nauseous etc... Some people seem to take any little ailments as an open door to stay home, although it doesn't stop them doing the school run, shopping, going to see a friend etc...

Personally, if I was ill with viruses 4 times in 4 months, I would be at my GP as such a low immune system would need investigation. She might be very unlucky that this has just happened now, and she could be perfectly healthy for the next 10 years, but I can understand how her manager would be very concerned that this might be the norm for her.