How to proceed with husband's HR department

[chrissie57]

Hello everyone – just after a bit of advice for my husband Douglas.

He has been contacted by his firm's H.R. Manager asking for permission to send an Occupational Health Advisor to see him next week.

We gave them permission to contact his Doctor just after his diagnosis in October 2018, they wrote to the surgery in November 2018 and they have only just replied.

His firm have emailed Douglas asking for a meeting next Thursday based on this 'report' by the GP but we feel that it is already, effectively, out-of-date as it does not even say he has definitely been diagnosed and all the 'suggestions' offered are very vague. Added to this is the fact that Douglas is not known to the Doctor (apart from anything else this is the first time in his life that Douglas has been ill) and we don't feel any useful discussion could be based on this report.

Does anyone know if it is acceptable to suggest that Occ. H. would achieve a clearer picture by contacting Douglas's specialist? We don't really want to hold things up any more than they have been but it is fairly obvious that the GP lacks the knowledge to provide meaningful answers

[Dis1960]

Just to note this request came by email at 1710 today and the surgery letter to HR was dated 23rd January 2018!

[Terry]

Hi Chrissie and Douglas;

A lot depends on what you want, some firms will keep employing you for six months on full pay and then half pay for upto a year.

I would not let then contact your specialist but if you want out soon then get him to write to them and go to the meeting.

You could also see your doctor and get him to write a letter that contains what you want it to say.

Where are you employed and how long for?

Do you really want out now?

Love Terry

[Dis1960]

Thanks Terry but there are a few problems

First the company has been paying me Statutory Sick Pay from November 2018. This has caused HMRC to refund my self assessment payments and will mean the charitable Gift Aid and the pension contributions have to be written to and adjusted.

Second the same HR department still hasn’t replied to a request to reconsider the sickness payment regimen. I will have served 22 years in April with the same outfit but gone through several holding companies including a couple of years under ORACLE in 2014-6.
ORACLE terms allow for mix’n’match of 12 months on half pay followed by SSP OR 6 months on full pay followed by SSP

Thirdly I have expressed interest in working from home as much as I’m able. This was at a meeting in November 2018 ( the same one where I gave consent to access to medical records) There were a few emails about setting up a VPN but it simply didn’t get through

[Dis1960]

Oh and the GP has said he doesn’t want to see me as I’m under Salford Royal

[Barry52]

Hi Chrissie,

Once Douglas has a definite diagnosis then the consultant can play a huge role in employment benefits. Of course it depends on the terms of the contract of employment but if there is any critical health insurance attached then you need the diagnosis. Be careful not to play your hand too early as GP’s have little experience of MND.
If you want to send me a pm then I can talk you through my own experience of this.

Best wishes,
Barry

[Lynne K]

Dis1960. Your GP ought to do your 12 weekly blood tests when and if you are on Rilozone. The first letter to your GP after being prescribed Rilozone explains the reasons for this. My old GP wasn't good about this. Salford did my blood tests several times. But in the end I rang the GP 2 weeks before every clinic appointment to get my blood test. That was the only way to get it. His surgery wouldn't contact me about it. I don't know how my new docs surgery will handle their responsibility. The first one I got from them I asked for. So I'm waiting to see if they contact me later. If not I'll be ringing them. Lynne

[Dis1960]

Thanks Barry52 the social worker at Salford Royal phoned my wife in Feb 2019 to say the consultant had sent the DS1500 form to the DWP

Thanks Lynne K but I’m not on Riluzone and my experience with Salford Royal is that they do not give out test results even when asked. Frankly I wouldn’t go near the place by choice