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have to attend formal review for sickness

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grundyhe
grundyhe Community member Posts: 12 Listener
edited September 2019 in Disability rights and campaigning
Hi everyone

Three years ago I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had surgery and other treatment and have been left with permanent nerve damage in my neck and shoulder and arm. I returned to full time work after my treatment ended and its been hard. A year after returning I had to have bowel surgery to remove a large low rectal polyp that was thankfully benign but the surgery left me with a lot of pain and changes in my bowel movements.  I returned to work after three months. Six weeks ago I had to have another operation to remove a very large ovarian cyst and i had an ovary removed too and I have been left with intense menopause symptoms and I was given more time off work by my GP as I was feeling really unwell. I am due to return at end of month and told my manager this. I have now been told I must attend a meeting about my sickness as my Bradford Calculation is over 50 for this last 12 month period. I am feeling worried about this and dreading attending. I am also dreading returning to work. I have a manager who is male and he gets embarrassed talking about my surgery and I have to keep explaining to him about female physiology. I have made a claim for PIP and am waiting to hear about the decision. I just want to reduce my hours. I really feel nervous about the meeting as I was careful to make sure I have had no other sickness absences this year. I actually never have time off unless I have surgery. Any advice would be welcome
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Comments

  • pollyanna1052
    pollyanna1052 Community member Posts: 2,032 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi, well you cant help being sick. You were hardly off for something minor! Why not ask for a female to lead or at least sit in on the interview and say it is going to include female problems, which you are embarrassed about or worry the male interviewee may not understand?

    Regarding your PIP claim,,,,,usually you have to have a disability or condition which has been a problem for 3 months and will continue to cause problems for a further 9 months. Is personal care and mobility a problem for you? Looking back, I see your bowel issues might be a problem.

     PIP claims are more concerned with how a disability or condition affects you day to day, rather than any diagnosis.

    Have you had a f2f assessment? This usually happens a few weeks after sending in a claim.

    Pollyxxx
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  • grundyhe
    grundyhe Community member Posts: 12 Listener
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    I have applied for PIP after seeing a pain specialist and being put on three medications to help control the nerve damage in my neck, shoulder and arm. I am in constant pain and it feels like I am being strangled as the muscles spasm a lot and its often really hard to cope. It affects my mobility as walking is painful and i cannot lift or carry things. This is as a result of the cancer treatment. I applied for PIP in March and they lost my forms and then I had to submit information again and then they said they had found the original form. I had my assessment in July but still no decision. I got a letter telling me they will be making the decision two weeks ago after receiving a text four weeks ago telling me I would get a decision in 4 weeks time. My assessment was bizarre and the assessor thought i was having a review. She called me gorgeous throughout the interview, told me of a previous interview where a woman had been prescribed vaginal dilators and made a joke about Ann Summers shops. She also misread the scan results of my ovarian cyst and thought i had ovarian cancer and later when she mentioned this and i corrected her she became annoyed that correcting this would take more time and she wanted to go home as it was the last interview of the day.
    I am quite fed up all round as have bowel and bladder problems as well as nerve pain and struggling to cope with the side effects of the medication  I have been prescribed to make things better.

    I will ask for a female member of HR team to be present.

    Thanks


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  • pollyanna1052
    pollyanna1052 Community member Posts: 2,032 Disability Gamechanger
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    Flippin` `eck! All those remarks about personal things is so unprofessional! I like to be friendly rather than over formal and officious...but there is a line to be drawn somewhere!

    No wonder you`re fed up...I am too....xxx
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  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,938 Scope online community team
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    Hi @grundyhe and welcome to the community.
    Have you contacted ACAS or EASS about your concerns about your meeting?

    Your assessor experience sounds very odd and very unprofessional. How do you feel it went despite that?
    Community Manager
    Scope
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  • grundyhe
    grundyhe Community member Posts: 12 Listener
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    I am still waiting for the result but I do feel I need to complain but have already been waiting 7 months to get to the end of the process so dont want to delay it further.

    Yes I will contact ACAS. I feel that considering I have confirmed my return to work date that they are being a bit unfair but I have no choice but to attend.

    Thanks
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  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,938 Scope online community team
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    Hi @grundyhe. Sorry you're having to go through with it, but please let us know how you get on and if there's anything further we can advise on we'll be happy to try.
    Community Manager
    Scope
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