What happens next please?

frogga

Good Morning All,
Mr Frog is on SSP through work. He has been shielding all year, and was furloughed but his employer put him on SSP in September following Sick Note from GP. 
Latest Sick Note runs out on June 20th. He has Rheumatoid Arthritis (v badly) is on Rituximab, and he also has Emphysema (and Kidney disease but that's not the main issue).
His 6 months of SSP from employer finishes next Friday.
His boss just sent Mr Frog a nice letter. It says to 'address your absence record fairly and reasonably' they would like a full medical from either his GP or the hospital consultants.
They want a 'full medical report on your state of health in relation to your ability to perform your job and the prognosis for your future health'.
Mr Frog doesn't mind them seeing his medical records as it's no secret. He is under two different consultants so I figured it's best to give the boss permission to ask the GP as he can give an overview.
I just wondered what is likely to happen now? I fully expect the GP to say he is not fit for work (he gave him a sick note only last week to run until 20th June) so I am not overly concerned about that. I am worried about the short term money flow. I think I am right in saying their obligation to pay him SSP is for 6 months only, then they will likely just stop paying it. I know he can then claim the new benefit that was £75 a week or close to it as some very helpful people on here told me about that the other week. I wonder is that immediate? Or will there be a long wait for it to be processed? If he does go onto that benefit, is he no longer an employee with a right to go back one day?
Long term, he DOES want to go back to work. He is only 50 and he is festering at home, not really eating / sleeping / being part of a normal family life at the moment. I wouldn't say his mental health is suffering, but he isn't himself, and I think he has no purpose. He needs to go back to normal! Or at least have a sight of normal coming around the corner. He has no regular routine and I worry that if the GP says he will never be fit enough to return, he will just spiral downwards.
Do you think I should speak to GP to ask / talk about what his 'report' will say? It's tricky getting an appointment as they are always so busy and they may not like these annoying unimportant questions being asked?
As an aside, I would like Mr Frog to get up out of bed at a proper time, eat meals with the family and go to bed before 12am at least. I don't want to start a row, or nag. He's had a tough year. He gave up smoking in June which is FANTASTIC after 35 years and he really didn't want to, but he has swapped a cigarette addiction for an Xbox addiction, and after a whole year of not leaving the house apart from 3 hospital appointments, he is like a totally different man ;(

avawat20

Your post was too long and did waffle a bit so I did lose interest but here is some general advice.
You can't "fix" the GP report. That will end up far worse for him in the long run - even if it's you if it's found out. Honesty and integrity issue there.
He just needs to be honest with them, they will have to make REASONABLE adjustments as his condition is very likely to meet the definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010.
I'd suggest if he is in a Union to involve them in this meeting if it's formal or seek their advice in the meantime if it's informal.
It's good he wants to get back to work but he's also going to have to demonstrate how he is helping himself - what treatment is there/what doctors appointments/is he doing everything he can to help himself etc.
See if occupational health are involved- if not then ask for a referral, ask for their opinion on suggested reasonable adjustments.
Unfortunately he may never be fit to return but I very much doubt the GP will say that. The employer may eventually decide this via their formal process, I'm surprised it's been 6 months without this meeting yet.
Get him to read up on the organisation's policy - he needs to make sure they are following it (to ensure a fair process).
It may end up with a ill health retirement (IHR) route.
Usually before dismissal they should explore alternatives to this i.e. another suitable role and/or IHR.
Can't comment on the SSP - you can probably find info via gov.uk.

yksi

I don't think this is actually the case, in regards to protection just due to being ill. I can only speak from what's happening at my own employer (major supermarket) but we have a person who's been off sick for a year (immune compromised), his SSP has long stopped, and without any realistic return date he is now facing dismissal. This is apparently legal despite the legitimate illness because he is unable to perform the duties of his job. With all kindness if there is no realistic prospect of returning to work in the foreseeable future, this is a fair outcome for both parties and the person should really consider finding a job they're able to do, for example, one without exposure to hundreds of customers each day.

chrisbur

frogga said:

. I think I am right in saying their obligation to pay him SSP is for 6 months only, then they will likely just stop paying it. I know he can then claim the new benefit that was £75 a week or close to it as some very helpful people on here told me about that the other week. I wonder is that immediate? Or will there be a long wait for it to be processed? 

The employer should issue a form SSP1 which is used to claim the benefit that will immediately follow the ending of SSP.  This form should be issued well in advance of SSP ending, anytime from week 23 from memory, if the employer knows that the sickness will continue after SSP ends.  Any fit note that covers a period after SSP end should also be returned. The purpose of this is to avoid any delay between SSP ending and the new benefit starting.

You say  "His 6 months of SSP from employer finishes next Friday."  SSP is actually payable for 28 weeks and is paid after three waiting days so would run out after 28 weeks and three days counting from the first full day of sickness absence.  Not sure if he has benn advised when it is running out and you have assumed six months have passed or if you have worked out the finish time based on six months.

frogga

Thank you for the replies, I will try not to waffle anymore point taken..
I did not want to 'fix' the medical report from the GP, I should have been clearer. I am understandably worried about it though, because it is a big deal if he can't work again.
When we spoke to employer before they said there are no reasonable adjustments they could make. they job is physical and long hours, there is no alternative office type role, they are a small family firm.
He's not in a union.
He does take all the medication they tell him to, and goes to all appointments, and he stopped smoking so he is helping himself.
I would like him to work just a part time job, just to get him back to a life of sorts, but he is not well enough at the moment.
Employer has been asked by me several times in the last month to give him the SSP1, but they don't reply to texts or emails. They are not very organised. His 6 months runs out at the end of this week (28 weeks of SSP) but I don't' know if this letter means she will continue to pay it until she hears back from the GP?

BrassicWoman

As I recall Mr Frog has a driving job?
I think it may be time to think about other kinds of work. This may be a good time for him to investate retraining, For example, could he learn scheduling/dispatch?

Marcon

avawat20 said:

Your post was too long and did waffle a bit so I did lose interest but here is some general advice.

That remark was neither helpful nor necessary. 

avawat20 said:

It may end up with a ill health retirement (IHR) route.

Doubt it. Where do you think an ill health pension is coming from? No suggestion that he's in a defined benefit scheme and he's only 50, so any defined contribution pension isn't going to have much in it to support such a move, even is he is eligible to take it early on health grounds.

frogga

You are right BrassicWoman, Mr Frog used to drive an HGV well remembered! I think scheduling or dispatch type work would be good, unfortunately at the moment he has last all his confidence and doesn't think he could do it.  I guess that's what happens if you feel a bit 'on the scrap heap'?
Thank you Marcon, (I thought that was a little bit rude too but I wanted some help so I was grateful for the helpful bit). You are right, there will be no 'ill health pension' . We have no mortgage now so we can muddle by on my money, I just think long term he will need to do 'something' and he would like to just do a little driving locally, maybe just mornings so he can be home at lunchtime to take meds and have a snooze in the afternoon.
His bosses are actually nice, they are just a small family firm that can't 'carry him'. 

avawat20

Just being honest. People lose interest when it waffles on and jumps around so they don't bother reading it thus you get less answers.
How am I supposed to know what he does as a job or what company he works for? I know someone who was under 50 who had IHR. It was a suggestion because guess what - this isn't an 'official' place for advice compared to somewhere like ACAS or Citizens Advice.
Some people have no idea what their organisation can offer them so it's at least worth knowing what exists in the realm of possibilities so you can ask. If it's a "no" then fine, move on.
If you don't want people's advice and honest opinion then don't ask for it. And I've seen far ruder comments in this forum as a whole that haven't even tried to offer advice.

frogga

Which was why I didn't comment initially and why I said thank you. I didn't mean to waffle, hence why I cheekily said 'point taken'.
You couldn't have known what Mr Frog did for a living or for who, so it was a reasonable suggestion.
I am grateful for any advice / points of view / comments . I too have seen far ruder you are right. You are just a little bit rude, so well done xxx

Anyanka1

Hello frogga,

I think many do not realise how many "transferable skills" they have nor how valuable these can be.  I understand Mr. Frog has lost confidence; this is completely understandable.  What he has not lost is his knowledge of the transport/logistics industry, which gives him a great transferable skill perhaps particularly in current circumstances.  Could you investigate the possibility of online courses or employment agencies who might facilitate his move, should he so wish it, into the less physical side of the industry he knows well?

HTH