Worried and need a vent!

no.1swimmum

Sorry I am a little stressed at the moment and just to vent and a little reassurance.

I have worked as support staff in a secondary school for 13 years. In that time I have had very little time off sick, apart from a shoulder operation a little over 4 years ago, and not a single day in the last year. I have Fibromyalgia - and struggle into work most days (and that is not an exageration, I love my department and try to do my best for them), in September it was agreed that I could cut my hours by an hour and a half a day - this has helped as by lunchtime I am feeling tired and my pain increases.

One of the Teachers in my department has been off work since October (she is the only teacher for this particular subject), not sending in any cover work, and although I am not a teacher I have done my best to help the exam groups with their practical work, despite them employing cover teachers who know very little or nothing about the subject.

I told them on our return at the begining of January that I have to go into hospital for 3 weeks, starting the week of the February Half term (for inpatient pain therapy/management) - all fine I thought! So yesterday i was approached by my acting head of department questioning me on why I need to go into hospital for another op so soon - I told him that he didn't even work here when I last went in for my shoulder op, he told me that the head of the school and HR have not authorised my going into hospital, because they are concerned about the exam groups!

I am so mad, can they do this! I have waited 18 months for this - I could understand it more if I was the only teacher in the department due to the other one being off sick, but I am not a teacher and do not earn anywhere near a teachers salary but am being expected to do their work at the detriment to my health! I have now been told that I need to meet up with the head on Friday - I am sorry to vent but I am so annoyed!!! and worried about my job!

Comms69

no.1swimmum wrote: »

Sorry I am a little stressed at the moment and just to vent and a little reassurance.

I have worked as support staff in a secondary school for 13 years. In that time I have had very little time off sick, apart from a shoulder operation a little over 4 years ago, and not a single day in the last year. I have Fibromyalgia - and struggle into work most days (and that is not an exageration, I love my department and try to do my best for them), in September it was agreed that I could cut my hours by an hour and a half a day - this has helped as by lunchtime I am feeling tired and my pain increases.

One of the Teachers in my department has been off work since October (she is the only teacher for this particular subject), not sending in any cover work, and although I am not a teacher I have done my best to help the exam groups with their practical work, despite them employing cover teachers who know very little or nothing about the subject.

I told them on our return at the begining of January that I have to go into hospital for 3 weeks, starting the week of the February Half term (for inpatient pain therapy/management) - all fine I thought! So yesterday i was approached by my acting head of department questioning me on why I need to go into hospital for another op so soon - I told him that he didn't even work here when I last went in for my shoulder op, he told me that the head of the school and HR have not authorised my going into hospital, because they are concerned about the exam groups!

I am so mad, can they do this! I have waited 18 months for this - I could understand it more if I was the only teacher in the department due to the other one being off sick, but I am not a teacher and do not earn anywhere near a teachers salary but am being expected to do their work at the detriment to my health! I have now been told that I need to meet up with the head on Friday - I am sorry to vent but I am so annoyed!!! and worried about my job!

Most of everything you wrote is irrelevant.


The key point is you worked there for more than 13 years and you have a condition that requires you to be admitted to hospital.


In essence you will be using the sick leave policy. So read that. (are you in a union?)

no.1swimmum

Thank you.
Yes I do belong to Union - I hadn't thought about contacting them. I will also look up our sick policy.

ohreally

no.1swimmum wrote: »

Yes I do belong to Union - I hadn't thought about contacting them. I will also look up our sick policy.

This is what your membership is for, pick up the phone and put your situation on their radar.

elsien

As Ohreally said, it falls within the sickness policy. If you were hit by a car tomorrow they'd have to sort something. It's not an elective procedure, it's not up to them to authorise or otherwise.

sangie595

Whilst I totally agree that the employer is being unreasonable here and the union need to be involved, I should point out that this is an elective treatment, and that it is not technically sick leave. Pain management/ therapy is not an operation, and having it on an impatient basis is no different than going to see your counsellor during working hours - neither sick leave nor a legal right. I had exactly the same situation last year - exactly - albeit not in a school. We negotiated this as a reasonable adjustment, not sick leave. Because sick leave impacts on sickness absence procedures anyway, especially three weeks worth of it.

FBaby

An interesting point re. elective vs non elective treatment. This is different to treatment by choice vs treatment that is life saving.

A shoulder op would also be consider elective treatment, as any treatment that is planned. That doesn't mean that it wouldn't fall under the sickness policy.

It's not very clear what treatment OP is going to have. Residential Pain treatment are rarely funded by the NHS unless severe (ie. home bound), so wondering whether this is private treatment too, in this case, I can see how it would be more likely to be classified as 'elective' or treatment of choice and therefore not falling under the sickness policy (a bit like asking time off for private dental implants).

no.1swimmum

Thanks for all your replies and help.

I will be an inpatient at St Thomas Hospital London pain management unit, and is definatly an NHS treatment and I will have a certificate to cover the last 2 weeks, as I will self certificate for 1st week.

I will contact my union, and ask for their opinion and help if needed. Nothing more has been said to me today other than an email telling me I have and appointment with the Head on Friday - have read through the sickness policy and can find nothing in there about them not authorising an inpatient hospital stay.

sangie595

FBaby wrote: »

An interesting point re. elective vs non elective treatment. This is different to treatment by choice vs treatment that is life saving.

A shoulder op would also be consider elective treatment, as any treatment that is planned. That doesn't mean that it wouldn't fall under the sickness policy.

It's not very clear what treatment OP is going to have. Residential Pain treatment are rarely funded by the NHS unless severe (ie. home bound), so wondering whether this is private treatment too, in this case, I can see how it would be more likely to be classified as 'elective' or treatment of choice and therefore not falling under the sickness policy (a bit like asking time off for private dental implants).

I had a hip replacement. Since my hip died and crumbled away, leaving me unable too walk, it was kind of critical I had the operation. It was still elective surgery. The OP does not have to have the pain management treatment. They may want it. They may benefit from it. But it is elective. And it can be postponed and cancelled on personal choice. So TECHNICALLY the employer is correct. They can refuse to authorise sick leave. I'm not agreeing that they should - in fact I think it should actually be paid leave, not sick leave. But the OP is not sick. They are no more unable to carry out their work due to sickness than they are at any other time, when they are actually attending work.

What is confusing this is the inpatient status. But that doesn't mean they are sick. If you go to meditation classes you aren't sick. One aspect of this course of treatment is meditation for pain relief! Counselling isn't sickness. That's another aspect of the course. While not wishing to suggest that the OP does not have a seriously debilitating condition, this course is not treatment in the traditional sense of the term. They are not sick. The analogy would be having time off sick for taking the aspirin, but not time off sick for the headache.

I'm surprised that you think this is usually private. Maybe where you are it is. Around this area we have there major NHS hospitals offering it that I know of. Our member had a choice of them.

Fireflyaway

I'm guessing they are annoyed because you have been covering a lot of gaps for them and you not being there will be an inconvenience. Hence they might be trying to dissuade you from going to hospital.
Elective v not elective is interesting. A few years back I had my gallbladder removed. It was planned and I was off 1 month in the end. Technically I didn't have to have it done but the pain of an attack was like no pain I have experienced and having it removed was the only certain cure. I was covered by a drs note. I think your issue is similar. You are entitled to time off for medical care. Its not like its a cosmetic proceedure!

sangie595

Fireflyaway wrote: »

I'm guessing they are annoyed because you have been covering a lot of gaps for them and you not being there will be an inconvenience. Hence they might be trying to dissuade you from going to hospital.
Elective v not elective is interesting. A few years back I had my gallbladder removed. It was planned and I was off 1 month in the end. Technically I didn't have to have it done but the pain of an attack was like no pain I have experienced and having it removed was the only certain cure. I was covered by a drs note. I think your issue is similar. You are entitled to time off for medical care. Its not like its a cosmetic proceedure!

Much as I am on the OPs sided in this, it's still elective! There is no cure for Fibromyalgia. Certain or otherwise. Pain management isn't a cure. Unfortunately, and that really depends on the employer, you had elective surgery. It might have been a cure, but you could have it at a time of your choosing. So it's elective. Believe me, the definition of "Elective" annoys the hell out of me, when NHS trusts talk about not doing elective surgery because it's costly and inconvenient! For them! But equally, you had surgery. That surgery rendered you unfit to work. Pain management doesn't render you unfit for work. The doctors may be willing to certify - but they shouldn't, according to their own rules.