View Full Version : Occy Health
Hi, I have Occy Health this afternoon. Normally I wouldn't be anxious about it but it was a tough week last week - lots of contact from work. I discovered that when (pah!) I finally get to go to a Grievance meeting, it will be heard by a room full of people I have never met. I am feeling pretty bad today, anxious, headache, earache (again). Anyway I am going to put a little eyeshadow on but no polyfilla under my eyes, so I should look frighteningly Unwell. lol
At least I finally get to meet my Union Rep today, who rang and has assured me a) it will be fine, and b) HR have been Economical with the Truth about his efforts to contact them. Which doesn't surprise me. I am talking to my MP later today; I'm stressed already so might as well get it all over with!
Good vibes welcome.
I'm going to see me old Teaching Assistant and her new baby afterwards, taking her some fairy cakes I've just made, so that is going to be a lovely 'reward' for my courage... ;)
Rennie1989
30-09-13, 11:37
Sounds like you've had a horrible week, I'm sorry to hear about it. If I remember correctly are you a teacher whose had a rough time at work? If so it sounds like you have a strong case and have all the support you need. I wish you luck today with the OT and I hope the hearing goes well. Remember to look after yourself.
Thank you so much. Off now! x
Hope it goes well and you get the outcome you want. I have my appt tomorrow and am very anxious :bighug1::bighug1:
Hope it goes well for you...I had this a couple of weeks ago but the Occ Health doc came to my house because of the agoraphobia.
I was a bundle of nerves and living on adrenalin all week, but he was really good and made me feel at ease. My employer (FE) never even told him that I had taken out a grievance against them - he was not to pleased about that!!
My report came back and it was great, I am now waiting for HR to contact me so I know exactly how you are feeling.
Big hugs to you :bighug1: we will both get through this...somehow ;)
Kitti xxxx
---------- Post added at 12:59 ---------- Previous post was at 12:56 ----------
Oh, the make-up trick made me laugh, the last time I had a meeting with HR I wore no make-up at all and they had the cheek to say I 'looked' very well :lac:
almamatters
30-09-13, 13:54
Hope it goes ok for you, I found occupational health to be really helpful when I had issues , I thought they would be 'out to get me' but I felt they were genuinely interested in helping me. I appreciate this is not everyone's experience though.
Glad to say it went fantastically well and I finally met the elusive Union Rep who is lovely and reassuring. Had a good cry in there and am beginning to feel better. :)
Glad to say it went fantastically well and I finally met the elusive Union Rep who is lovely and reassuring. Had a good cry in there and am beginning to feel better. :)
That's really good news, fingers crossed the rest of the process goes well for you. I hope mine goes as well tomorrow. Well done on getting through it :bighug1:
Thank you - good luck, Kim! x
Thank you - good luck, Kim! x
Thank you Speranza, my meeting went very well and the doctor is more than happy that I am fit to return to work, so I just have to wait to hear from the dreaded HR!! now, they have no excuses now. X
This is an email I sent to my family - just in case someone needs inspiration...
I arrived early, having arranged to meet the Scarlet Pimpernel (Union Guy) there. I waited for quite a while, feeling pretty grim but concentrating on breathing deeply and reminding myself that, as Bill had said, this was more like a doctor's visit than anything else. He emerged from the Nurse's part of the building, which I wasn't expecting, so it took me a moment to realise it was him, and liked him immediately. He looks like an elderly hippy or a - tall - retired Hobbit.
After the initial greetings, we talked about my situation, I told him I had severe palpitations going on but that in my head I wasn't scared, just in my body. I could tell the minute I woke up that I was going to cry, so I had my bag stuffed full of tissues. We discussed tactics... to my great relief he is 100% with me on Not Being Gagged. He was helpful about explaining what to expect over the next few months, and to cut a very long story short, it will be this:
He and I will meet again before the Grievance hearing (which I keep reminding myself is the one THEY should be nervous about, not me. I will need reminding of this!)
He is going to raise various things, such as my pay still being illegally docked, me being stripped of a pay point I am entitled to, and them informing OH that I am severely depressed when my GP has a record of telling me I am not. We are not going to tell them I don't ever want to set foot in the door again. I am not making anything easier for them. He also told me that HR have not been entirely truthful about the number of times he has tried to set up meetings. I am not surprised, although they almost had me fooled.
Yada yada...
Then there will be a series of 'review meetings' - after the first of these I will receive a Formal Written Warning (about my attendance I think) and will be on the path to Dismissal. This will take about 6 months. He has different teachers on his books at every stage of this - eg a woman two meetings ahead of me in a very similar situation. I go down to half pay we THINK in November, need to check that. I know I have an Income Protection Policy somewhere in my portfolio so I shall look that out when I am feeling better.
Eventually (summer sometime) I shall be dismissed. At which point they have to pay me three months' full pay.
We discussed the tribunal option - which I still don't really feel is very 'me' - and he told me (which seemed eminently sensible) that he doesn't generally recommend it, the emotional toll being far more than is recompensed by whatever paltry sum is awarded. Anyway for me it was about exposing them, and if I haven't signed a gagging clause I can do that to my heart's content. I observed many years ago that divorced couples who nurture hate are actually trapping themselves in a lifelong relationship, where they are constantly on each other's minds. I'm not that kind of person and I don't want to become that way. I am still Christian enough at heart to believe that forgiveness and compassion are the way forward in most situations. Later, obviously!
Just then, my doctor rang about my sick note, and when I told him where I was he immediately said, "Oh let's start giving you 2 month sick notes to save you a bit of hassle." I am truly blessed with my doctor.
Kim - the OH nurse - came to fetch us, and I also instantly liked her. She was one of those people with blurred edges (I am desperately hoping that makes sense to you as it just spilled onto the page!) - shoulder length, wispy grey hair, cuddly kind of figure and very kind and twinkly, piercingly intelligent, eyes.
We went into her room and sat down (as you do!) and she said, "Ok - what brings you here?" I asked if she meant physical health and she said, "Everything." So I began with a very polite and potted version of school background, then hesitated, and she said, "Yes - I have an idea about Beech Hill - but what is going on for YOU? Where is Gillian up to?" (It says a lot for her kind demeanour that Gillian didn't feel like my Naughty Name. For some reason, every Gill I know has a horror of it! lol)
I said, "Well, I suppose it all began back in April..." and gave her a quick picture of how stressed I was feeling, and why (she was rolling her eyes by now, and I noticed she was actually having to suppress a physical reaction every time I mentioned Janice the Head - honestly!) and then went onto the horrible Day of the Car Park Sobbing. I couldn't speak for a moment, and then I whispered, "It feels as though I have Post Traumatic Stress," and began crying. I said, "I knew I was going to cry - I don't mind if you don't!" at which she pushed a box of tissues over and said, "Why do you think I have these?"
So we went through it all, and she asked various questions and jotted things down, and then we began discussing the likelihood of my ever returning. Mindful of Bill's advice, I said, "Never say never, but I will find it extremely difficult now French isn't on the timetable." At which she literally gasped in horror.
After a very long discussion punctuated with a little more crying, she talked for a while. She explained that she was required to answer certain questions (she was typing all the time we talked, we kept pausing) but said, "Usually I estimate when somebody is going to get back to work, but I'm not even going to attempt it in your case. It isn't even relevant."
She has given me a copy of my report (I had to sign it as a true record) and said, "Share this with WHOEVER YOU WANT - It's YOUR report."
The only box she has ticked on the front is, UNFIT FOR WORK.
Under comments, she has written:
Ms Ashtons health condition is slowly improving with the assistance of her GP with appropriate medication and is due to commence Talking Therapies via Care First shortly. The issues are attributed to work pressures in relations to teaching her non specialist subject. I understand that her union is also involved in looking to resolve these together with a grievance process.
It is my view that until the issues are resolved, a return to work is unlikely and there are no adjustments at this time that would assisst an early return.
With regard to your question about attendance at t formal hearing, it is my view that at this time, with appropriate extra time if needed and support from a representative, she is fit to attend.
She explained that she almost NEVER says someone is unfit to attend as that delays everything which is not conducive to recovery, but stressed that her form of words meant it would be entirely appropriate for Bill to attend all those meetings on my behalf, which he is happy to do, so I feel my subs are totally worth it now. Especially as he told me he is a retired teacher and gets no money for his Union work, he just gets satisfaction from helping people to get through awful situations. Which now he is finally on the scene does appear to be the case.
So there you are - you know almost as much as me now, except how much better I feel after a cry, I felt totally drained yesterday but I will be better soon.
daisydaisy
02-10-13, 00:12
Hi Speranza, just wanted to say you are so brave and well done for attending OH. I'm sure it wasn't easy (I would have the tissues too!). I really hope moving forward you get answers and an outcome for you to focus on yourself and what you want out of life. :hugs: Xx
Wow...what an interesting, honest and poignant account of your situation.
I can only say that I could have written that myself, your situation is very similar to mine. I am afraid to say that I have chosen the route you have not taken and to say it is stressful is an understatement. However, when the time arrives (and that is soon) it is a public hearing so the 'exposure' will come from that as I, like you have no gagging order on me at this time
I wish you all the very best as you progress through, I really understand how this has such a massive impact on your psychological wellbeing. I have a brilliant GP too, we are lucky. Lets hope we both get the outcomes we deserve after years of loyal service.
Sending you a big hug :bighug1: Kitti xxxx
Aw thank you! I don't believe there are right or wrong ways to deal with this stuff. I have been astonished to discover that my principles are stronger than I thought - but I am not braver or better than anybody else, I have just made different choices about the path I'm taking. I was fully prepared to expose it all in court but I shall simply talk freely about it once I have left. I am very aware of how you must be feeling, and please contact me any time you need someone who understands even if it is just to rant! I am ashamed to say I have explained my situation to complete strangers three times this week, I am so angry I can't always contain it. But I actually think that is healthy (I've always been pretty passive). They do say depression is 'frozen anger' so perhaps that is how I've escaped it - by actually letting myself feel angry. Everyone I tell is shocked, in fact. Unless some of us speak out, people will NOT understand - so good luck to you. I think you are extremely brave.
As I say, I have always been quite passive in the past, I think because of my strong Christian background - which I now think robbed me of realising how strong my inner resources were, I thought it was all 'God' - very (overly) forgiving and accepting of wrongs done to me. BUT wrongs done to other people... :mad: THAT makes me angry!!
At the very least it is an interesting time of life! I am beginning to feel so much better for having had someone confirm that I am not fit for work. I am going to ENJOY these few months (once the blinking Grievance Meeting is over). I am going to read, write, walk in the countryside and NOT feel guilty. My colleagues are having a dreadful time, but any of them could have made the choice I've made - in fact more easily, as most of them have partners who are earning money.
Teachers as a breed remind me of Boxer in Animal Farm, who was the carthorse who greeted every new initiative with "I must work harder." Right up to the day when he collapsed and was sent to be slaughtered.
Thank you so much for your kind words and support.
Gill xxx
AuntieMoosie
02-10-13, 11:52
Well done Speranza, I think you did great :yesyes:
Sending loads of comforting and supporting hugs hun :)
:hugs: :bighug1: :hugs: :bighug1: :hugs: :bighug1: :hugs: :bighug1: :hugs: :bighug1: :hugs:
Thank you my darling, hope you are doing better... xxxxx
So - tomorrow is (supposedly!) my Grievance Hearing - the one where THEY ought to be worried, not me.
I haven't heard from my Union Rep since last week, when he said he would be in touch before tomorrow. I've rung him three times today.
So - I guess I just turn up tomorrow and hope he's there... :shrug:
If he isn't, I'm not going to the meeting. I expect he will be, but this isn't really helping!
I am now onto my FIFTH HR person, no idea who it is who is going to be there tomorrow, despite having asked for whoever was going to let me know and email me.
HR sent me an email asking me to 'make sure Bill is informed' about the meeting. Well - derr, I asked THEM to arrange it all. I know he knows about it, but it ain't my job to do all that.
I would really appreciate vibes/thoughts/prayers whatever you wish to send my way tomorrow afternoon. The room is booked for THREE AND A HALF HOURS :scared15: .
Ulp.
Good luck for tomorrow, stay strong, I also have a meeting with HR tomorrow so will be thinking of you to take my mind of stressing about my own meeting!!:D
Hope you get result you want
Take care Kim xx
Aww I am thinking of you hun and I do know what you are going through :hugs:
All I can say is go get your big girl boots on and kick butt :yesyes:
You will get through it and they SHOULD be scared!!!
Big hugs and good luck, I will be thinking of you :bighug1: xxxx
Thank you!! I'll be thinking of you too Kim. xxx
daisydaisy
07-10-13, 23:56
Good luck Speranza- sending you strength and positive vibes :hugs:
Good luck Kim too!
X Daisy
Thank you - it went extremely well, my union rep was really impressed.
AND the Governor was shocked at what she heard. I think the Head is going to have a REALLY nasty meeting sometime soon.
And I'm not sorry.
Really pleased for you hun, well done!! :yesyes: :yahoo::yesyes: :winks: xx
Thank you - it went extremely well, my union rep was really impressed.
AND the Governor was shocked at what she heard. I think the Head is going to have a REALLY nasty meeting sometime soon.
And I'm not sorry.
Well done so glad it went well as did my meeting, let's hope we are now turning a corner to better things we have had a blip in our lives which has made us stronger better people.
Take care love Kim x
daisydaisy
08-10-13, 23:15
Thank you - it went extremely well, my union rep was really impressed.
AND the Governor was shocked at what she heard. I think the Head is going to have a REALLY nasty meeting sometime soon.
And I'm not sorry.
Well done Speranza that's fantastic news. :yesyes::grouphug:
Paying for it this morning with a panic attack but it is worth it...
daisydaisy
09-10-13, 09:50
So sorry Speranza, I have felt that way after big events. It's like your body releasing all the fear and dread that you built up the day before. Remember you are being so brave and everyone is supporting you here. I hope that you are nearing the end of this horrible time and you can then move on without any regrets and do something you love and enjoy. Xx
Thank you so much for your kind words. I feel HEAPS better for simply having sat in a meeting and held my own, and my Union Rep was extrtemely complimentary. I have at the very least had my say... I shall be fine. How could I NOT react? It#s a horrible situation but I only have to go to one more meeting.
Meanwhile, I'm also in touch with my MP. They simply picked the wrong person. I'm confident that by the end of the year I shall be feeling better and some people will be feeling worse.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.