Mental Ill Health NHS - Redeployment?

Cbgasv

I've been off sick for 5 months from my Band 5 NHS role, due to severe depression caused predominantly by workplace stress and culture.

I am now taking prescribed medication and doing better.

I have been in contact with my line manager , occupation health and an in work psychiatrist.

The psychiatrist and OH have formally put forward a suggestion in reports for redeployment, as its not tenable for me to return to the previous environment.

I am in contact with a HR advisor at my workplace and in contact with a union representative who I have my first call with this week.

Just looking for some advice please my sick pay is exhausted and I'm on SSP

Does anyone have experience of the NHS redeployment process due to Ill health and particularly Mental Health?

Who facilitated the process, particurlarly as my illness is because of work and department I foresee it being difficult if my line manager facilitates it.

milliemonster

It’s very difficult to prove that your workplace has caused your illness as it’s a very subjective thing, usually these redeployments are facilitated by HR, they will let you know of any other vacancies that are available and you will be able to apply and go through the recruitment process as anyone else, they won’t redeploy you to a position that they don’t have and if they don’t have anything available will let you know

Manxman_in_exile

As above, I would expect HR to be sorting this out.


Make good use of your union rep as they should know the "culture" of your trust and how it works. (I say this because I worked for a mental health trust and union reps generally felt that they - the trust - didn't deal as well with staff MH problems as they could have done).

polgara

Just be aware that they can’t invent a job for you and you need to be extremely proactive about exploring any options. We have a time period too for anyone on the redeployment register to find a job (usually 12 weeks) before they end up at a capability hearing.

Cbgasv

Thanks for your replies , I’ve set up a meeting. I rang my union , the reps available to me all work in my department , they are all significantly higher seniority than me and they are much closer to the line manager than me , I don’t feel like this is impartial representation and I would just feel even more nervous being fully honest about the issues I experienced , I’m aware all Indusrial relations reps are trained etc I just feel like in reality they aren’t going to back me for fear of reprisal as they are still on the dept in questions payroll , I asked for a rep from another dept in the same hospital but my union said this is not possible even though they have probably over 20 reps across the hospital , any advice ?

Manxman_in_exile

First, did you explain to your union why you would prefer to be represented by someone outside your department? ie you would find it difficult/awkward/uncomfortable/embarrassing to have to go through everything that's happened with someone you know or who works in the same department.


Second, I'm not sure I would be too concerned anyway. If (and I think it's a big if) your union reps are going to be unprofessional in helping you, simply keep a record of all your dealings with them and how they've approached the problem and advised you. Then, IF you need to complain about how you've been represented, you have some supporting evidence.


PS - reading your OP again, you are concerned about the re-deployment process. As advised above, this should be driven by HR and shouldn't require much if any input from your line manager. Unless there's something you aren't saying your line manager should be happy to see you re-deployed.


Re-deployments happen all the time in the NHS. Rely on your union reps for advice.

nicechap

Cbgasv wrote: »

I've been off sick for 5 months from my Band 5 NHS role, due to severe depression caused predominantly by workplace stress and culture.

I am now taking prescribed medication and doing better.

I have been in contact with my line manager , occupation health and an in work psychiatrist.

The psychiatrist and OH have formally put forward a suggestion in reports for redeployment, as its not tenable for me to return to the previous environment.

I am in contact with a HR advisor at my workplace and in contact with a union representative who I have my first call with this week.

Just looking for some advice please my sick pay is exhausted and I'm on SSP

Does anyone have experience of the NHS redeployment process due to Ill health and particularly Mental Health?

Who facilitated the process, particurlarly as my illness is because of work and department I foresee it being difficult if my line manager facilitates it.

Cbgasv wrote: »

Thanks for your replies , I’ve set up a meeting. I rang my union , the reps available to me all work in my department , they are all significantly higher seniority than me and they are much closer to the line manager than me , I don’t feel like this is impartial representation and I would just feel even more nervous being fully honest about the issues I experienced , I’m aware all Indusrial relations reps are trained etc I just feel like in reality they aren’t going to back me for fear of reprisal as they are still on the dept in questions payroll , I asked for a rep from another dept in the same hospital but my union said this is not possible even though they have probably over 20 reps across the hospital , any advice ?

As you’ve been there less than 3 years (exhausted sick pay within 5 months) I think you need to engage positively with the redeployment process and union rep. If you’ve struggled with the band 5 workload in one place, it’s unlikely that the workload will be different in another team/ location. Culture can vary but it can be as much about how you respond and contribute to your colleagues, the grass isn’t always greener.

Having local union reps help you is a positive, they will be aware of the priorities of the trust/ location and be able to rephrase your skills to match the job vacancies.

What have you done to find out about alternative roles? Have you searched nhsjobs website and applied/ identified roles that suit/ appeal?

Cbgasv

Workload will be different in a different role, as will working environment. Please don’t try and characterise this as me being difficult . I have a serious mental illness and occupational health have stated I’m unable to fulfill my current role, I have worked in other teams just fine before and will be able to again. To be clear I wouldn’t be going back to my profession I would be seeking other roles which I have transferable skills for . I have been looking on NHS jobs website all the time I have attended other interviews .I am not expecting the process to bring a job to me ( it’s basically same recruitment process just some preferential treatment ) but I am claiming my right as an employee to have the redeployment process honored as I am ill .

nicechap

Cbgasv wrote: »

Workload will be different in a different role, as will working environment. Please don’t try and characterise this as me being difficult . I have a serious mental illness and occupational health have stated I’m unable to fulfill my current role, I have worked in other teams just fine before and will be able to again. To be clear I wouldn’t be going back to my profession I would be seeking other roles which I have transferable skills for . I have been looking on NHS jobs website all the time I have attended other interviews .I am not expecting the process to bring a job to me ( it’s basically same recruitment process just some preferential treatment ) but I am claiming my right as an employee to have the redeployment process honored as I am ill .

Being in the nhs you’ll know you shouldn’t be at work if you’re ill, however if you’re better and ready to work, then as long as you are aware of your obligations as well as your rights, and don’t bite the hand that feeds you, you should be fine.