Working 16 hours down to 12

NedS

kazzyd_2 said:

So yesterday I had a telephone appointment with Occupational Health in work. She is going to be recommending that I sit when needed & have breaks if needed. She said it sounds as if my Diabetes isn't under control and this is why I seem to be declining. 

Anyway, my question is, once I have a copy of the report, will this help with my LCW claim and if so, how do I get it to them as my form has already been posted. 

Personally, I think that is unlikely to help your case. They are just as likely to interpret that as good evidence that you are able to work with reasonable adjustments (sitting or having breaks as required).

kazzyd_2

NedS said:

kazzyd_2 said:

So yesterday I had a telephone appointment with Occupational Health in work. She is going to be recommending that I sit when needed & have breaks if needed. She said it sounds as if my Diabetes isn't under control and this is why I seem to be declining. 

Anyway, my question is, once I have a copy of the report, will this help with my LCW claim and if so, how do I get it to them as my form has already been posted. 

Personally, I think that is unlikely to help your case. They are just as likely to interpret that as good evidence that you are able to work with reasonable adjustments (sitting or having breaks as required).

So I shouldn't send it then? They know I had an appointment. 
I am able to work with these adjustments though but it won't always be possible to have a seat as tyere are others who need it and I already told the OH that I wouldn't take breaks. Part of the reason I reduced my shifts last year from 7 hours to 4 was so I wasn't entitled to a break, I was getting too anxious having breaks, I just want to do my shift then leave.

Spoonie_Turtle

kazzyd_2 said:

NedS said:

kazzyd_2 said:

So yesterday I had a telephone appointment with Occupational Health in work. She is going to be recommending that I sit when needed & have breaks if needed. She said it sounds as if my Diabetes isn't under control and this is why I seem to be declining. 

Anyway, my question is, once I have a copy of the report, will this help with my LCW claim and if so, how do I get it to them as my form has already been posted. 

Personally, I think that is unlikely to help your case. They are just as likely to interpret that as good evidence that you are able to work with reasonable adjustments (sitting or having breaks as required).

So I shouldn't send it then? They know I had an appointment. 
I am able to work with these adjustments though but it won't always be possible to have a seat as tyere are others who need it and I already told the OH that I wouldn't take breaks. Part of the reason I reduced my shifts last year from 7 hours to 4 was so I wasn't entitled to a break, I was getting too anxious having breaks, I just want to do my shift then leave.

The WCA is about ability to do any kind of work, not your ability to do your specific job with your specific ableist employer.  (Denying people seats they need is ableist, unfairly disadvantaging them purely on the basis of their ability to stand.)

NedS

kazzyd_2 said:

NedS said:

kazzyd_2 said:

So yesterday I had a telephone appointment with Occupational Health in work. She is going to be recommending that I sit when needed & have breaks if needed. She said it sounds as if my Diabetes isn't under control and this is why I seem to be declining. 

Anyway, my question is, once I have a copy of the report, will this help with my LCW claim and if so, how do I get it to them as my form has already been posted. 

Personally, I think that is unlikely to help your case. They are just as likely to interpret that as good evidence that you are able to work with reasonable adjustments (sitting or having breaks as required).

So I shouldn't send it then? They know I had an appointment. 

I don't know - what do others think? I just don't think it does you any favours.

poppy12345

Thinking about this further, i would have to agree with Neds and it may go against you. The letter doesn't really tell them anything about how your conditions affect you either which may not help. With evidence, less is often more.

Spoonie_Turtle

The only thing it helps is showing your condition affects your ability to work.  But I don't think it would help your case for LCW because it would seem to imply you're fine working if you can sit.

Just to clarify, the sitting/standing activity assesses based on sitting, standing, or a combination of both - whichever one you can do for longest.  So if you can work fine as long as you can sit, you shouldn't score any points in that category.

If there are other factors such as anxiety affecting your ability to work (or to get to work), you need to focus on whether you score any points because of that.  Also whether being found fit for work - any work, not just your current job - would cause your health to deteriorate, known as 'substantial risk' https://wcainfo.net/issues/substantial-risk-lcw

(I can't remember whether wcainfo.net has already been linked in the thread, but in case not, it's a good site for really looking at each the activities and issues/concepts.)

kazzyd_2

Thank you everyone. I won't send it then. Yes, I can do my job better sitting but I very rarely get to do this, even with this recommendation, nothing will change as there's too many people with this recommendation.
Even sitting can be uncomfortable, it's just better than standing. Everytime I am at work these days I wonder how long I can carry on, between being in pain and really agitated and upset the last couple of weeks.
Anyway, I'm digressing. Thank you, always appreciated.

kazzyd_2

A quick question regarding my fit note. 
It's due to expire on Monday 21st. I called the surgery today to get it extended and was told I have to call on Monday, they can't issue a new one until it expires.
Is this correct? I just don't want a gap as I know this puts me back to square one.

NedS

kazzyd_2 said:

A quick question regarding my fit note. 
It's due to expire on Monday 21st. I called the surgery today to get it extended and was told I have to call on Monday, they can't issue a new one until it expires.
Is this correct? I just don't want a gap as I know this puts me back to square one.

That's certainly my experience - A GP will not issue a new Fit Note until the current fit note has expired. Most are happy to back date the new fit note a few days so there isn't a gap, if you were unable to get an appointment on the day it expires.

kazzyd_2

NedS said:

kazzyd_2 said:

A quick question regarding my fit note. 
It's due to expire on Monday 21st. I called the surgery today to get it extended and was told I have to call on Monday, they can't issue a new one until it expires.
Is this correct? I just don't want a gap as I know this puts me back to square one.

That's certainly my experience - A GP will not issue a new Fit Note until the current fit note has expired. Most are happy to back date the new fit note a few days so there isn't a gap, if you were unable to get an appointment on the day it expires.

Thank you. Just wanted to make sure as I've never had an extended one.