Can i get sacked for being off sick

[jen12128]

I started with plantar fasciitis in April/May this year, i asked my manager to refer me to atos so i could try and get some help off them without going off sick. My manager finally referred me after 4 weeks of me going on at him, i got a phone call off an occupational health advisor who sent a report to my manager saying i should have a reduction in my round or increased rest stops, also it would help if i wore my own footwear and she would refer me for some physio.

I asked my boss if he received this report and he said yes she just said you should wear your own trainers and nothing else.

I was thten referred for physio and she did me a 6 week rehab plan which included being totally off my feet for the first 2 weeks and she would send this to my manager straight away, yet he said nothing to me about it and my foot got worse.

I seen the physio again 2 weeks later and she said she definatley sent the rehab plan to my manager and could not believe i was still on full duties, she printed me a copy off and i took it into work the next day.

My manager said he never recieved it but he did start me on indoor work but i was still on my feet. When i got home i rang the physio to ask if what i was doing was ok but she said everytime im on my feet it will just aggrevate my condition so the next morning i rang work and said i need complete rest do they have any duties where i can be sat down but their reply was NO you know how we operate here, we have nothing for you.

I had no option but to go sick. My manager referred me to atos again and i had to travel 2 hours to the appointment to which i was told by the occupational health person "we could have done this over the phone".

My manager had asked them if ill health retirement was an option to which she said no as all treatment options hadnt been explored, and he said on his referral they had no alternative work for me, so she said she would say i was unfit for work for 2 weeks and then for him to refer me again.

I got a call from my manager the same day i seen the occupational health person and he said he had just receieved my original rehab plan and to come in and start it the next day to which i replied the nurse said i was unfit for work for 2 weeks and for you to refer me again and he said he would look into it.

I got a phone call from my manager today saying he has spoken to this nurse and he has told her there is now work in the office so she has told him i am fit to do that. But as far as i know she told me to stay off and my own doctor has also got me as unfit for work. Can anyone tell me where i stand on this? I am starting physio sessions through the nhs next week and hope it will help my condition.

[POSTMAN]

Stay off sick until you feel well enough to do 'light duties' and have a staggered back to work plan.

Stating the bleedin obvious,your manager is a liar.

You won't get sacked,keep EVERY bit of paper work you get as well.

You need to speak to ATOS again before your 2 week sick note is up so you need to get your manager to refer you again for a phone consultation.
If you are still going to be sick after the 2 weeks,get another sick note and again,when it is near ending do the ATOS thing,and so on and so on.

[jen12128]

Stay off sick until you feel well enough to do 'light duties' and have a staggered back to work plan.

Stating the bleedin obvious,your manager is a liar.

You won't get sacked,keep EVERY bit of paper work you get as well.

You need to speak to ATOS again before your 2 week sick note is up so you need to get your manager to refer you again for a phone consultation.
If you are still going to be sick after the 2 weeks,get another sick note and again,when it is near ending do the ATOS thing,and so on and so on.

But he is saying he has a 2nd report off the occupational health person since i seen her on Monday saying i can do light duties, he said he got back intouch with her and told her he now had suitable duties for me. I spoke to the union tonight who more or less said i had to go back if they had duties where i wasnt on my feet

[5plusbonusball]

Bosses ignore the doctor and atos, just keep a diary and all paperwork ready to throw in their face when they try to sack you. They won't refer me back to atos now , they just say atos will tell you to take ihr which is wrong because they keep suggesting new rehab plans. Anything to keep you delivering at 100% and to keep them from doing any more than 1 hour work a day. GET RID OF MANAGERS - THEY ARE USELESS.

[not me]

stop taking calls from management(in my opinion)
ask for all contact to be via letter/face to face meeting(with witness)

PF is very painful,i suffer from it myself
Are you taking medication? if not get to the docs and get some diclofenac prescribed
have you been to a Podiatrist?
If not ask for a referral from your doctor
they should get some custom insoles made for you.
You need to be proactive with PF
before you put a foot out of bed in the morning ,you need to stretch and massage the plantar (sounds rude)
same before you go on delivery,get the plantar stretched out
plenty of videos online for Plantar exercises

[jen12128]

thanks for advice, been to own doctor today who has still said im not fit for work and royal mail cant over ride this. She wont give me any proper pain killers though, she just keeps telling me to take ibuprofen and co codamol, starting physio next week and have been referred to an orthoprdic to get my own insoles made. Does it ever get better? been told i can have a cortisone injection if the physio doesnt work but been told its very painful.

[fru_T_bunn]

I found hamstring stretching exercises help. I had the same problem. The injections don't really work long term. But I have no problems now. So it does get better, or at least in my case it has.

[not me]

thanks for advice, been to own doctor today who has still said im not fit for work and royal mail cant over ride this. She wont give me any proper pain killers though, she just keeps telling me to take ibuprofen and co codamol, starting physio next week and have been referred to an orthoprdic to get my own insoles made. Does it ever get better? been told i can have a cortisone injection if the physio doesnt work but been told its very painful.

strange, diclofenac seems the common prescribed drug
unless you have a condition that rules out nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs?

Insoles help a lot. you may need to try various shoes/trainers to find what works best for you.
get into a routine of stretching the plantar at least 3 times a day. especially 1st thing before getting up

[jen12128]

just had a call from my manager reading out a report from atos saying i am fit for work on light duties, i explained i had seen my doctor this morning who said i was not fit for work but his reply was iv had advise from HR and they say if i dont go to work tomorrow it will be an unautorised abscence

[flaminmoses]

just had a call from my manager reading out a report from atos saying i am fit for work on light duties, i explained i had seen my doctor this morning who said i was not fit for work but his reply was iv had advise from HR and they say if i dont go to work tomorrow it will be an unautorised abscence

Having a sick note from your doc is not an "unauthorised absence"

Tell.them you will be back when your doctor says you are fit to return to duties or indoor duties

[TrueBlueTerrier]

just had a call from my manager reading out a report from atos saying i am fit for work on light duties, i explained i had seen my doctor this morning who said i was not fit for work but his reply was iv had advise from HR and they say if i dont go to work tomorrow it will be an unautorised abscence

Having a sick note from your doc is not an "unauthorised absence"

Tell.them you will be back when your doctor says you are fit to return to duties or indoor duties

But before you do contact your rep and get their advice/backing. Or if you think they are useless then go above to ADR you are allowed.

[chuckychucks]

'DELETED'

[mazza111]

thanks for advice, been to own doctor today who has still said im not fit for work and royal mail cant over ride this. She wont give me any proper pain killers though, she just keeps telling me to take ibuprofen and co codamol, starting physio next week and have been referred to an orthoprdic to get my own insoles made. Does it ever get better? been told i can have a cortisone injection if the physio doesnt work but been told its very painful.

strange, diclofenac seems the common prescribed drug
unless you have a condition that rules out nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs?

Insoles help a lot. you may need to try various shoes/trainers to find what works best for you.
get into a routine of stretching the plantar at least 3 times a day. especially 1st thing before getting up

Ibuprofen is an NSAID. Does the same thing as diclofenac. Docs are less likely to prescribe new patients onto diclofenac because of the heart scare about a year ago? My timing may be off, think it was about then I went onto naproxen.

Agree with the advice already given, if your doc says sick, stay sick. ATOS cannot over rule your doctor. No matter how many managers seem to think they can. I would also get the union involved and make them aware of the bully boy tactics going on

[5plusbonusball]

if your doc says sick, stay sick

it's ok doing that and getting fit again but when you return , you get a stage further to a sacking, even though they know the job has caused the illness. Theyve got to give you the time off and not count it , re stages, or give you comp.

[POSTMAN]

just had a call from my manager reading out a report from atos saying i am fit for work on light duties, i explained i had seen my doctor this morning who said i was not fit for work but his reply was iv had advise from HR and they say if i dont go to work tomorrow it will be an unautorised abscence

He's on serious dodgy ground if he is trying to force you into work and you have a sick note.All sorts of issues here,H&S,you also won't be insured.
You HAVE to be signed off sick by the doctor.

Don't panic,and like the others said said get your rep onto it.If you have to go sick even longer till you are fit for a rehab plan then there is not a lot you can do.
Also,any idea what the magic duty content is?