Hiya everyone...
Im in need of a bit of help and advice about my job. I have worked in a GP surgery for the last 10 years part time. I used to work as a healthcare assist/phlebotomist but now because of the RA I work on reception.
I have cut my hours from 28 to 17 a week but at the moment I am off on the sick. I am in the process of starting anti tnf drugs and as yet they are not working, My GP signed me off for a month in March, I went back to work for a month but couldnt manage it so I was given a sick paper for another 6 weeks.

Anyway my Practice Manager is pushing for me to retire on ill health, and she has sent off for the forms etc, I have said Im not ready to commit to anything yet but she says I can get them filled in and sent off but not be obligated to finish.. Im a bit unsure about this as I would have thought once you apply that sets things in motion..

Also my pay this month has been cut by half with no warning and I feel like Im going to have to go back to work even if im not well enough for financial reasons! I feel she is forcing me out.
Any help or advice please I feel so stressed with it all
lots of love Cerixx

Hi Ceri

So sorry about your problems with your job. It seems that every way we turn with this illness we hit problems. Life's difficult enough with RA. I hope you get something sorted soon Why can't things be straight forward? You can do without added stress.

Sheila x

Hi Sheila
Thanks again for your support really dont need work stress on top of everything else.. Have joined a union today and will ring them and see what they advise, Im sure RA is covered by the equality act and so I could possibly be eligible for disability leave. I really dont know but will try and keep positive. Hope your not too bad at the moment thanks again xx

Thanks Suzanne
Didnt sleep at all last night worrying about everything going to ring union helpline later and see what they advise. Hope your not too bad and start Humira soon! Lots of love Ceri xx

hi Ceri,

just wanted to say do keep us updated,

i truly understand what a worrying time this is for you and hope that it doesn't affect your RA.

as ever Rich is there with his great advice,

P.S. i'm still waiting on the Humira !! my own Rheumy Nurse has been off and i did leave a message over a fortnight ago with the other Nurse, she said she would get the paper work rolling as i had to wait till the end of May to have failed 6 months on the Hydroxy. so i might see if my own Nurse is back next week,

Suzanne x

Hi Ceri,

An employer is NOT allowed to ring you when off sick, it is harassment. As I understand it, the very least your employer should be doing is offering you a position that would be less affected by having time off. They have a 'Duty of Care'.

My employer is trying to remove me from my position too at the moment and have now been referred to OT, which I have seen before. But am looking forward to it.

I have my Union on speed dial lol

Good luck Ceri, fight the buggers, you'd think working for the G.P she might have a 'little' more understanding?!?!?!?

Thinking of you at this nasty and stressful time, keep your chin up

Trace xx

Thanx Trace and Sara,
I phoned the practice manager on Friday and asked her to look into my entitlement for disability leave.. She'd never heard of it, and said she would get back to me..Im not holding my breath! Also said that she thought they had been 'very accommodating' with me by allowing me to change my hours! I took Rich's advice and phoned nras and they were very helpful but said its up to the employers whether they pay disability leave or not, so just have to wait and see. Ive worked there for 10 years and dont like to be seen to be causing a fuss, but I have to do whats right for me.
Anyway thanks for your support it really helps.
Love Ceri xxx

Hi Ceri

I hope you are feeling a bit better today. Don't let them get to you. I agree with everything Sara said. It is awful, the way they treat people. They don't have any compassion at all.

Sheila x

Unfortunately working within the NHS can be a lottery as much as anywhere else. My next door neighbour was diagnosed with RA four years ago just as she started training to be a nurse. Apparently one of the nurses suggested she find herself a different career when first diagnosed. Four years on she is now fully qualified and her RA is in remission.

I've been working as an IT Contractor, ie. a temp, within an NHS trust for the last 13 months and I've been very lucky as they have been accommodating with late starts and time off for appointments, albeit I only get paid anyway when I'm working. This I think was perhaps more to do with the fact several members of management had friends who suffer from RA than anything to do with it being the NHS. I was diagnosed almost 7 months ago, and it only flared up after I started working there. Now though I think some some managers' patience with sickness is become a little lacking and, having only just got extended last quarter at the last minute, I fully expect to probably be out the door at the end of this month. Nothing I can do about it unfortunately, its the trouble of being a Contractor. The official excuse will be they can't find the money to extend the contract but it'll always be niggling at the back of my mind it's the sick days .... mind you I'm only averaging about 3 days sick a month over the last quarter and some weren't even RA related

Ceri, I hope things work out for you since RA is bad enough without the stress of employment issues weighing in.

Nicola

Hi Ceri

Will be thinking of you next week when you have the meeting, stay as positive as you can, I m sure you will. I think that your practice needs understand that it is relatively early days as you have only been on infliximab for a relatively short while, and if it works, which it well could, of course, then there will not be a problem with you remaining in your post at the surgery. I think they need to be patient, like we have to be constantly, living with RA, before any decisions are made about the future.

In recent days I have been browsing Youtube, and found some very interesting sites from consultants about RA , and generally speaking they all say once the RA is under control you can go to work and lead a relatively normal life.

Hope all goes well, Julia xx