Terrified of OH appaointment

[Allmydays]

Tomorrow I have an Occupational Health appointment, arranged by my work, which is scaring the living daylights out of me, and is perhaps why my anxiety has been off the scale all week.

I'm scared because it's the first contact of any sort with work (and I know it's at a vast remove) since early July. I'm scared because it's been privatised and I don't trust them - I assume they must be on bullying management's side. I'm scared because everything, from texting my sister to going for a coffee does at the moment.

I know I have to go, but it feels like I'm being forced to interact with my management team.

Monday evening until now is quite emphatically the worst I've ever felt.

[Speranza]

Ogod I so feel for you!! I cancelled one because I decided I wasn't going to attend without my Union rep. Of course now I have to rearrange it!

Is somebody going with you? I REALLY really empathise. Just see it as your opportunity to demonstrate how unable to work you are... xx

[Allmydays]

Thanks, I hadn't thought of taking union rep, I've had a brief conversation when my head was phoning me daily (telling me the stress I was causing him) when I went off, but have avoided all work related things since.

People keep telling me how good OH are, but it's dealing with something, which when texting my sister takes two days of mental preparation, is a really terrifying challenge. The one good thing is that at least they'll see the full extent of the anxiety!

[Annie0904]

Occupational Health is nothing to worry about..they are there to support you and it will just be you and the Occupational health doctor/nurse. You can take a friend with you if you want. No one from management will be there. It is really nothing to worry about, they are helping you.
A sickness review is something different so if you are asked to go to one of those you can get a union rep to go with you or on your behalf.

[Jonquil]

Hi,

Some suggestions that would have helped me if I had known before. You do not have to divulge information that you do not want to. Also you can give information to the OH advisor but decline to consent to it being released to management. My OH advisor threatened me with the Mental Health Act when she thought I was going to refuse to consent to information being given to management- they absolutely cannot do this or make any similar threats. I subsequently complained about this threat and although the private company did try to cover this up, the OH advisor was sacked ( they said she resigned but too much of a co-incidence).

Also key issue that I found was that they try to give the impression that if they say you are well enough to go back to work, you are regardless of what your GP says- this is also rubbish. Only your GP can sign you back and if he says you are not well enough then he will not sign you back. This also goes for any phased return. OH advisor can make suggestions for the phased return but GP signs fit note and can say what you are ready for. Really good idea to take Union rep with you.

Let us know how you get on and if you are unsure about anything before or after do let us know- there are people you can contact to get advice such as MIND legal advice line who are great.

J x

[Speranza]

Jonquil thanks so much, I found that very useful.

[Allmydays]

Thank you all. It was okay, although I fiddled throughout and my stammer returned nicely. He's clear I'm not ready to go back, and may not be able to go back there, which was nice to have recognised.

I'm concerned that he was insistent that I have a meeting with management sooner rather than later. I really don't want that until I'm able to do the small things like texting family members without a two day lead in.

I've requested I see the report before it goes to management, so hopefully I can challenge anything I need to.

[Speranza]

Wow, it sounds as though you were pretty assertive, well done!

Watch this space, I shall be here for support when it's my turn... :unsure:

[Jonquil]

I'm so glad things went ok. Don't be pressured in to doing anything if you are not ready to, including going to see management. When I was being pressured by work to do things I wasn't ready to I talked it over with my doctor and then told my work that my doctor was advising that I was not ready to go in. I also found the ACAS helpline really helpful in terms of understanding my rights in regard to my sick leave and would recommend talking to them. Telling HR that I had spoken to ACAS was the only thing short of threatening legal action that got them to stop pressuring me to do what they wanted me to do rather than what I was well enough to do.

[Annie0904]

If you do not want to go back to work at all I would speak to your union rep who will be able to discuss what is best for you such as the possibility of leaving on a compromise agreement.