Early retirement due to ill health

bilbo_2

Hello I am in my early 50's and work for the nhs as a maint technician

I have been suffering with depression for 2 years and am told I will be taking the medication (medium dose) permanently now.

I also have to self catheterise on a daily basis to keep my urethra clear to to an operation I have had years ago. Some days I can hardly walk due to the soreness.

I am now suffering with a bad back the latest illness for over a month.

I also take statins as a precautionary measure due to family heart disease.

With the medication for my depression starting to affect my concentration along with the daily pain from the other 2 illnesses. The daily job involves physical work use of engineering machinery chemicals and manufacturing equipment etc.

Do you think if I applied to the pension scheme managers that they would consider me for early retirement ?

Your_Hero

You can only ask and see. It is totally at the discretion of the trustees.

citykid5

Don't know anything about the HHS pension scheme but the normal process would be for you to simply go permenantly sick then your company would put procedure in place to retire you on medical grounds.
Best wishes mate

PeacefulWaters

It sounds like you should ask the question.

If you're in a union you may find they will help you to ask the question in a way that gets a favourable outcome.

bilbo_2

Thanks for the replies Unfortunately I am not in the union

Would you advise me to contact occupational health for help and advise?

mgdavid

what does your sickness record look like over say, the last 5 years? Is it increasing year-on-year? Has it increased markedly during the last year?
If you are managing to attend work on a fulltime basis there may be no justification yet.

Rosetta_2

Look at your works sickness policy.
It would ultimately be up to the trustees of the pension schemes and they will require medical reports from possibly more than one Dr. If you went off sick you can apply for ill health retirement but it may trigger procedures that mean if you were not awarded your pension and ill health retirement than you could be dismissed on the grounds of capability. This was the policy in my workplace but yours could very well be different.

You really need your workplace policy first and foremost.

Poppy9

In the LA where I work you have to be on long term sick and see work/pension medical advisor to be considered for ill health pension.

It's a very stressful and demanding process and they determine if you are permanently incapable of working and we have 3 levels of ill health retirement based on this. None easy to get I'm sorry to say. I've seen people with very serious illnesses and nearer 60 than you turned down a few times before finally getting their pension. Then another with an aggressive form of MS awarded quite quickly.

Might be worth joining a union as they should be able to advise you better of how the NHS pension scheme works with regard to ill health applications.