Occupational Health

LightFlare

Genuine question but have you actually introduced and tried the suggested adjustments or just pre-concluding that they will be useless ?

Where posture and muscles etc are concerned - little things can make a huge difference.

By not even trying, you could possibly be weakening your case significantly.

prettyandfluffy

INAMESS said:

Lots of comments there, firstly ive been to the gp many times and had a diagnosis last year. I'm now waiting to see a consultant. The condition has probably been caused by doing my job over a number of years. I asked my employer for help but i wasn't demanding or expecting physio through them but saw no harm in asking. I guess another job role may be possible but only if there is one available that they think i am qualified to do. The reasonable adjustments OH have suggested are not likely to make a significant difference if any at all to my condition and daily pain. I guess the reasonable adjustment i was hoping for would be a contribution to some sort of therapy for pain relief, if you think that is unreasonable then thats your opinion. I've not had any time of work yet related to this condition apart from going to a few appointments etc. I do exercises advised by physio to help but theres not much benefit so far. Private therapists do do hands on work which has proven to give me some brief pain relief. 

My understanding is that "reasonable adjustment" relates directly to your job and the environment you do it in.  For example, OH could suggest things that improve ergonomics or staggered travel times. I think things like privately funded physio is something beyond that.  It's not to say your employer wouldn't help you but it might be discretionary, in your situation I think I would ask that direct question.

EnPointe

Savvy_Sue said:

I've seen colleagues off sick for long periods, and having OH assessments, not once was any contribution made towards treatment or therapy outside work. Receiving normal salary while regularly taking time to attend such appointments, possibly reasonable - paying for such therapy I'd say not. So that is my opinion. 

I have once seen OH myself, and all the conversations were about how soon I'd be fit to return, and what might be done to make things easier within the workplace. In my case (a shoulder replacement) I was uneasy about the stairs, so agreement that once I was up I could stay up until the end of the day! Normally I'd have been up and down multiple times each day. 

I arranged physio at the start or end of each day. 

exactly , these are the typical things one expects from Occ health   ( unless temproary or permanent  redeployment / alternative duties  is  the way forward)  as you point out   absenses   for treatment not beign counted as sickness or against leave allowance   also falls into this 

INAMESS

I'm not fortunate enough to be able to afford much more private help. I have not had much time off for this condition. Of course i have tried all advice i have been given over the years. For your information the NHS physios that i have seen do not tend to focus on posture so much as they say the back is designed to be bent, used etc. I was actually told not to bend my knees all the time by an NHS physio. Anyway this is slightly moving away from my initial question and request for 'advice'.