LONG TERM SICKNESS REVIEW MEETING

[crazygirly]

Hi All,

i am due to have a long term sickness review meeting. Does anyone know what i am to expect?

Your advice would be much appeciated.

[boxtops]

I guess you have been off sick for a while, and your employers need to know what the future holds for you? Our employers are obliged under the absence policy to review sickness, to find out how you are, what they can do to facilitate your coming back, and so on. Who's the meeting with, can you take a representative or union rep with you?

[crazygirly]

Thanks boxtops for the reply...greatly appreciated.

It will be my 11th week off and in total running my sick note will be 13 weeks. Its been due to shingles, followed by panic attacks/anxiety attacks along with suffering stress and now the end result is im being treated for depression and on medication. Yes i have a union rep in place who will be accompanying me to the meeting. The union rep did say i would probably have to explain what has caused all the illness but i dont feel strong enough to talk about it all. What do you suggest? Would me typing it out and handing the manager/s a copy and explaining that to talk about is hard but they are welcome read the history.

What do you think?

[puternut]

I don't know if your employer has an Occupational Health section - possibly connected with the company doctor - but I found it useful to contact them BEFORE the hearing and maybe talk to them about it. I too suffered with stress/depression due to a clash of personalities at work.

The OH officer spoke to all the parties and in fact the actual review went through without me there

[crazygirly]

Thanks puternut but the meeting is later today. Thanks though for the reply. What establishment was it you work or worked for, i.e. factory, warehouse, NHS?

[puternut]

Local Authority - in London

[ELVIS68]

How long can someone be off sick for depression/anxiety?

[crazygirly]

ELVIS68, medication has only just been prescribed and with someone not knowing the actual cause or causes boils down to well known saying of 'how long is a piece of string'.

Thanks for the interest in my question though.

[ELVIS68]

Thanks for your reply, sorry if my question seemed to look like I`m having a pop at you.
I`m in no way questioning your illness, I`m just interested in how long an employer will allow someone to be off sick with depression/anxiety

[pink-kittens]

It can take a few weeks for anti d's to start working properly as well


Try reading this http://www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/5/3/S07_1.pdf
And this http://www.direct.gov...nessabsence/DG_185054
I'm guessing you may be worried about losing your job?
I don't know what your company's long term sick policy is but if you have a hand book have a read through that as well

[factor-fiction]

Have you worked there more than a year, crazygirl?
Have you had any previous absences or informal/formal reviews about absences?
I think they will be looking to see what steps you are taking, what the prospects are for a return to work and what help they can give.

[factor-fiction]

Did you have the meeting, crazygirly?

[boxtops]

Very easily, elvis - if you are suffering with a clinical depression or anxiety state, your work suffers.

[Maydup]

How did it go crazygirly? You OK?

[crazygirly]

Hi Factor30 and all,

i had my meeting but becuase i stated that i would like less stress if possible that i have my own work station and indirectly cover the secretaries as i am releif secretary. I said that i would like to type and also have the secretary who is on annual leave, the calls put through to the phone on my desk. Within the NHS there is a 24hr turnaround of the clinics to be typed and thats from dictation to the secretary typing it to it being received by the GP, all in 24 hrs. If not then the NHS is penalised and this is a decision made by the government of the 24hr turnaround. Also the calls are just as important but in the meeting management were talking about dropping my banding as responsibilities would be taken away. Is this right, can this be done??

[factor-fiction]

I have read your latest post a few times but maybe I've had too much sun today because I can't follow it. If you request that your some of you reonsibilities be reduced then it's not surprising that the grade of teh role should be reassessed. I can't comment on how your company's grading scheme works- I think that's an internal matter.

[rowanwitch]

I work for NHS and have twice been off for long periods with depression... downbanding was offered as they felt I wasn't coping with the stress of my work. It may come down to post suitable for your health and welfare or one that makes you ill again... I would discuss it with your union rep before making any decision... it might also be worth exploring the possiblity of transfer to a different department or type of work maybe with less time pressure if you find that a real problem. your occupational health department would be able to advise and you should be reviewed by them before returning to work

[crazygirly]

Thanks Factor30 and thanks rowanwitch.....

I would be doing the same job but just not putting reports on notes or having direct contact with the consultants whom of which i do not have a problem with at all. The consultants would be able to still contact via phone or email and should i be needed to see them face to face then this would be ok also.

In time the position that i am happy to do which i did also suggest and trust me this will eventually escalate and more work would be put on me as often the secretarial role is a kind of non exhaustive role but if i was to accept a lower band in pay then i would be the disgruntled party and feel that they were taking the (can i say it on here???) Fosters. i.e. having me work, doing higher band duties but yet earning the lesser pay.

[crazygirly]

How come my bleep word now says FOSTERS???!!!

[rowanwitch]

Ask for your new role to be formally assessed under the A4C rules at least it would be done independantly from a JD you have to agree with your manager
To include all the tasks you would undertake regularly as well as those you would do on an ad hoc basis like covering higher level posts

but if they are removing reports from your role which comes under advanced skills and removing some of the face to face contact with senior staff they may have a case...

[crazygirly]

I get you rowanwitch.