Sick cert dates - pls explain

[evedawn]

I have been booked off work. My operation was Tuesday 03.05.11. The WORDS on sick cert say : "two weeks" and the dates read unfit for work "from 03.05.11 until 16.5.11. Therefore am icorrect in thinking the Monday 16th is included and I retirnto work Tuesday 17th? Thanks in advance

[karenmac60]

If your first day of sick leave was he Tuesday and the certificate is for 2 weeks, then your return date is also the Tuesday.

[sara3]

yes, but my employer requires a "fit note", which is similar but the doctor states you are "fit to work" from..

[Buenchico]

Yes, the dates are inclusive.

Chris

[Maydup]

Agree

[evedawn]

Thank you all. I did think that was thecase but wanted to make sure just in case I oughta be at my desk tomo rather than Tuesday.

[flitty]

If your doctor says you are unfit for work until a certain date then you do need a return to work note. I went to work without one and was sent home as to them I was still sick.If your sick note says you sre fit to return on a certain date then you dont need a return , or fit to work note.

[Maydup]

Employers differ, we don't need fit for work notes where we are. Once the fit note expires on 16th May you just go back on the 17th unless you have another fit note that says otherwise.

[sandrajo]

I thought it was the law that you had to have a fit note to return to work.

[evedawn]

Ok ta. I don't think I'll need a fit note from the looks of it. Interestingly my consultant scheduled a follow up in the middle of the day Tuesday ! Thatmade me wonder if k should really return onthe Wednesday.(I cancelled it and made it at later date as can't very well leave early on my first day back!) that made me wonder if the Tuesday oughta have been included in the cert ? Incidentally I fo feel ok health wise to return.

[evedawn]

Sorry for. Typos. Small iPhone keyboard lol!!!

[flitty]

Depend swhat your op was and the level of exercise that your job entails. I had an op and went back to a physical job too soon and ended having more time off. Make sure the doctor is aware of your work levels etc.

[evedawn]

Oh no I'm fairly sedentry in my job flitty so I'm sure I'll be fine. Physically I'm a-ok totally!mentally iseem to be sooooo down ;-( not like me and I wondered if that is a side effect from anaethesia. Just can't shake the blues.

[China Doll]

I had to see occupational health before returning after my op to be declared fit and was on reduced hours for three weeks.

[Maydup]

Its really not unusual evedawn; anaesthetic blues are very real. A friend of mine has a nurse friend who visited her the other day because she thought the blues would be just hitting her after her op. She knew all about it and my friend thought it was just her.

Hopefully they'll move on a little faster once you start to get back to normal life. Take care and take it easy still.

[maclarencat]

There is post operative fatigue and although you say you are fine if you are feeling tired and down then you are not OK. Ring your doctor tomorrow and ask advice as to whether you should return yet

[chokkie]

AFter three months off recovering from a broken ankle last April (2010), I had to keep in regular touch with my employers (NHS Foundation Trust) and keep them informed of my progress. Right at the very end, I had to go and see the Occy Health people, where we agreed a phased return-to-work programme over a period of two weeks, plus an exact date for my return to work. If I wanted to extend the phased return, I had to take it out of my own holiday entitlement (which I did not). As well as going to see Occy Health, I had to get the fit note from my GP. I decided, right at the very beginning of my sickness absence that I would play fair with them and, hopefully, they would play fair with me. And they did, so hardly had any problems, other than the fact that my admin manager failed to advise our payroll dept that I had returned to work full-time so, after three months back at work, my payroll dept put me on half-pay when I was, in fact, back at work. Stupid lot! Anyway got it sorted fairly quickly, thank goodness!

[evedawn]

thanks maidup and maclarencat - at least I know that the anaethesia might be the reason behind this "emotionally grey" feeling. (grey is the only way to describe my mood)

THANKS to EVERYONE who contriuted - i'm gonna log off now and go join the land of Zzzzzzzzzzz (snorers)

[karenmac60]

Were you on morphine after the op eve? I know that any time mr mac has been on it after an op he gets really down when he comes off it - it usually lifts after a week or so.