Return to work after sickness

GlasweJen

I work for the NHS.

In October I had to call in sick as I collapsed on the way to work and was blue lighted to a hospital in the health board that I work in. This absence triggered the threshold for an absence investigation (4 absences in one rolling year).

The investigation concluded that the absences were all valid and that I was just unlucky having 3 freak incidents that led to sickness and the 4th was sickness and diarrhoea which forced me off work as per policy.

The outcome was that my sickness would be monitored for a year and they would instigate occupational health if my planned absence for surgery went longer than 2 weeks.

I had the surgery at the start of December and I'm due back at work tomorrow. It will be 6 weeks absence in all. I've been posting in sick lines (1 for 2 weeks and 1 for 4 weeks) and calling my department weekly to keep them updated. My wound didn't heal as planned and I've been unable to self propel my chair as I've been at risk of tearing my wound back open, it's still open at the corners now but settled enough to not be too big a risk. The problem is I've not heard from occy health, the nurse in charge of the unit (my bosses boss) wants them to see me before I go back and told me to get another sick line. The union have said that I've not to get a sick line as this would trigger another point in the absence procedure and I've to go in and report for duty as normal and leave it to them to send me home if they don't want me there.

My doctor is quite strict about sick lines and I don't want him to think I'm at it. My last line said I'd be ready to return to work on 19/01 and that he didn't need to see me again.

Should I trust the union and go to work tomorrow? I'm on the rota for tomorrow's shift but struck through and marked sick.

Undervalued

GlasweJen wrote: »

I work for the NHS.

In October I had to call in sick as I collapsed on the way to work and was blue lighted to a hospital in the health board that I work in. This absence triggered the threshold for an absence investigation (4 absences in one rolling year).

The investigation concluded that the absences were all valid and that I was just unlucky having 3 freak incidents that led to sickness and the 4th was sickness and diarrhoea which forced me off work as per policy.

The outcome was that my sickness would be monitored for a year and they would instigate occupational health if my planned absence for surgery went longer than 2 weeks.

I had the surgery at the start of December and I'm due back at work tomorrow. It will be 6 weeks absence in all. I've been posting in sick lines (1 for 2 weeks and 1 for 4 weeks) and calling my department weekly to keep them updated. My wound didn't heal as planned and I've been unable to self propel my chair as I've been at risk of tearing my wound back open, it's still open at the corners now but settled enough to not be too big a risk. The problem is I've not heard from occy health, the nurse in charge of the unit (my bosses boss) wants them to see me before I go back and told me to get another sick line. The union have said that I've not to get a sick line as this would trigger another point in the absence procedure and I've to go in and report for duty as normal and leave it to them to send me home if they don't want me there.

My doctor is quite strict about sick lines and I don't want him to think I'm at it. My last line said I'd be ready to return to work on 19/01 and that he didn't need to see me again.

Should I trust the union and go to work tomorrow? I'm on the rota for tomorrow's shift but struck through and marked sick.

Short answer, yes.

The exact reasons for your absences are largely irrelevant as far as most sickness policies are concerned. Unless somebody has been caught malingering (which would be a disciplinary offence in itself) it isn't really for the employer to make judgement that employee X is "more sick" than employee Y when both have been signed off by a doctor.

Doing so and treating them differently is a fast way to losing an unfair dismissal claim if one is dismissed and not the other. That is exactly what systems like the Bradford factor are designed to avoid.

GlasweJen

Three of the absences were discounted as they were related to declared disabilities.

I'm quite keen to go back tomorrow but don't want my bosses boss to get annoyed that I'm there as she has been very vocal about referring me to occy health but it doesn't seem like she's actually done it. I'm bored out my skull at home and everyone from hospital doctors to GP have agreed that I'm fine to be at work again.

I'll go in tomorrow and see if she says anything.

Savvy_Sue

If you get a chance I'd write a letter before you go in, stating that you have been advised by your union that you should NOT get another fit note since you are not unfit, and that you are happy to be referred to Occ Health as soon as possible. It gets it on the record. cc HR ...

TELLIT01

My inclination would be to go into work. Your GP has said that you are fit to work. If your manager tries to send you home because the OH people haven't seen you, you need to stress the fact that you don't have a medical certificate and your doctor won't issue one.

Cheeseface

Why haven't you contacted occupational health yourself? You can make your own appointment in every one of the Trusts I've worked in.

Savvy_Sue

Just wondering how you got on?

clairec79

You still do have an open wound from what you say and if you are dealing with patients I can understand them wanting OH to review the situation. However as someone else said why don't you ring them yourself

GlasweJen

I went in on Thursday and she acted surprised that I was there. She called round the boss and acted like she had no clue she was expecting me until I pointed out that they all had copies of my sick note.

So at that point she filled in the RTW paperwork and decided I should be on light duties until occy health could see me. Emailed OH and they emailed back saying they wouldn't see me as gp certified fit for work and I have no new conditions for them to assess.

She spent Thursday and Friday following me around sending me on random errands. Hopefully she will back off next week.