Sickness Worries

[postie814]

Hey guys

I have been of work for the last ten days with calcaneal tendonitis in my ankle which I have suffered for the last few months. I have had a doctors line for this absence (and given tablets) and have been passed for light duties but avoiding walking and to referred to a physio within royal mails occupational health.

However the Dom has constantly phoned me up asking how I am and when I would be able to return to work. I was under the impression that he wanted me in for light duties but it came clear that it was for a walk. I told them I had a line and that I couldn't walk at a distance according to my doctor I could tell they were a bit pissed off to say the least.

Anyway I am due back on Monday and most likely I will be doing a walk. I am worried that as soon as I finish my heavy walk (second biggest by 15 calls in the office) that my pain will return and render me useless to complete my duties. I just don't want to work with pain. Its bad that I walk with a limp. Even my customers have asked why I am limping.


So what are my rights and should I be rehabilitated and assessed before I start my walk again??


Always worrying about stuff like this.

[bigcol]

Just say no.

[krussel]

If you dont think your ready for a walk and you have a doctors backing then stick to your guns and only offer to do light duties. If it gets tense then get you rep involed.

You will prob be contacted by atos pretty soon anyway. Dont feel forced to do anything to make the condition any worse than it is.

Oh welcome to the forum by the way


Quote:

""Treatment of Achilles tendonitis begins with resting the tendon to allow the inflammation to settle down. In more serious situations, adequate rest may require crutches or immobilization of the ankle.

[postie814]

If you dont think your ready for a walk and you have a doctors backing then stick to your guns and only offer to do light duties. If it gets tense then get you rep involed.

You will prob be contacted by atos pretty soon anyway. Dont feel forced to do anything to make the condition any worse than it is.

Oh welcome to the forum by the way


Quote:

""Treatment of Achilles tendonitis begins with resting the tendon to allow the inflammation to settle down. In more serious situations, adequate rest may require crutches or immobilization of the ankle.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Surely I have no choice in the matter since my line will end when I go back next week. It's up to the Dom what I do?

[Stormproof]

What did your ATOS report say? I'm assuming you've had a report as you say about a referral to RM Physio. Managers will try it on, 'go out do a couple of bags and see how you get on' etc etc, but hold your ground and say you are unable to do this due to the pain you are still suffering.

[postie814]

What did your ATOS report say? I'm assuming you've had a report as you say about a referral to RM Physio. Managers will try it on, 'go out do a couple of bags and see how you get on' etc etc, but hold your ground and say you are unable to do this due to the pain you are still suffering.

Nope I haven't been referred to Atos yet, my doctor only stated I should be Given physio help on the sick line. I take it I should be referred to Atos first before anything?

[Stormproof]

Perhaps it would be quicker for your GP to refer you to Physio. As SR said make sure you get an ATOS report.

[flaminmoses]

Took me 2 and a half months to get an NHS referal

If your ankle isnt upto it get a light duties note at the very least till you've seen the physio....then they will rush through an atos physio imo

[pokos27]

say no, this is a nasty disease, requires a lot of rest, keep of working you will damage it further, try and get an mri scan, and make use of physio and podiatry, these things can recur as well, if you have a sick note make use of it.

[postie814]

Feel like there is not alot i can do now, my sick note is going to be finished tomorrow!

I am not the sort of postie that doesnt like to cause bother with the DOMS, just prefer to get my head down and do the job without moaning. Hard to say no.


What happens if i do a walk tomorrow and my tendonitis returns again, do i have the right to return to my doctor and get treatment?

[sevenish]

Sorry to hear you have this nasty, nasty conditon.
Have you done any online research of your own about achilles tendonitis?
I found this video about 5 months in with mine.
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport ... tendinitis
Make it a priority to see a physio before you speak to ATOS. If you can tell ATOS, "My physio says I can do this, not do this". They usually take it on board and build a report around that advice.
Good luck.

[postie814]

Just an update.

I went in to see my line manger and said i was ready to come back, he asked if i was ready to do a walk and i said " I dont know". At that moment he went mental and simply shouted at me for not knowing what i should do!! I simply said i dont know if i was simply ready because at that time the pain came and went.

So they stuck me on the PHG to cover the usual guys holiday. I was naive to think it would be good to do and rest my foot however how wrong was I, non stop walking back and forward and no help at all! completely on my own. Also on the PHG i had to lapse a street with stairs. Not really fair on a guy that has difficulty walking up stairs with tendonitis, i thought.

After my stint in the PHG i was then forced out to do a full walk without an rehab with loads of stairs and hill walking. At this point Atos were to phone me when i was still walking at 2pm, I couldnt take the call due to reception issues in the area. I told my DOM when i got back and they said they would rearange a new appointment. As the weeks went by i still have been referred to them as yet!!!

Soon enough after 2 on the walk the pain uncontrollably came back and my ankle was again flared up. I went back to the doctors and to be honest they were not happy on how i was being treated and that they went againest her orders of light duties, so she put me on another line for 4 weeks.

I told my manager i was on the line by phone and they suggested i should take the rest of the week off and come back on the Monday. When i came back at the beginning of the week, a colleaque came up to me shouted "oh aye on a 4 week line are you??" I turned round and said "how did you find that out??" I got no answer as he walked off. I was later told that the manager was telling everyone i was on a line!!! I wasnt happy that my confidentiality was broken!

I went back to the office and told them i was on another line stating lights duties. Next thing i found myself on a duty with a van delivering to new developments and doing packets etc!!! A duty in its own!! I felt like i couldnt say no to them! It all came to a head when the asked me to do the New developments and a whole duty to starburst with someone else. The duty was a killer with stairs and hills etc. Needless to say we were over our time and all the DOM said was that we could have done it quicker!! EASY!!

Thats when it all came to a head, i told her i wasnt happy that i was stuck doing that and i reminded her i was on a line stating that i should avoid walking long distances. She was apathetic and just simply shrugged saying that "she needed me for the Xmas build up and that it wasnt too bad" and that there was nothing they could do for me and if i wasnt happy, i should take the rest of the line off and she couldn't guarantee that as my job is a Postman and that i should be walking there could be repercussions, she kept saying "i am not to put fear into you but its your job and that i can't gurantee what will happen if it continues!!!"

So i took the rest of the time off and went back to the doctor and told them the whole situation. He was not happy and said i should contact the CAB and see what they say and that i should just rest it.

A couple of days after i got a phone call from the DOM asking if i was OK, they asked if i was on a line and i said that i alrady was!!! HE DIDNT EVEN KNOW I WAS ALREADY ON ONE!!!!

So after 10 weeks i am stressed to my nut and no referal to ATOS and yet there is a guy in the Office who bumped his head and is in the office folding D2D's??????? and heres me walking about with a Doctors Backing!!??!!

Maybe i am but i feel a little mistreated!

[Stella102]

Just an update.

I went in to see my line manger and said i was ready to come back, he asked if i was ready to do a walk and i said " I dont know". At that moment he went mental and simply shouted at me for not knowing what i should do!! I simply said i dont know if i was simply ready because at that time the pain came and went.

So they stuck me on the PHG to cover the usual guys holiday. I was naive to think it would be good to do and rest my foot however how wrong was I, non stop walking back and forward and no help at all! completely on my own. Also on the PHG i had to lapse a street with stairs. Not really fair on a guy that has difficulty walking up stairs with tendonitis, i thought.

After my stint in the PHG i was then forced out to do a full walk without an rehab with loads of stairs and hill walking. At this point Atos were to phone me when i was still walking at 2pm, I couldnt take the call due to reception issues in the area. I told my DOM when i got back and they said they would rearange a new appointment. As the weeks went by i still have been referred to them as yet!!!

Soon enough after 2 on the walk the pain uncontrollably came back and my ankle was again flared up. I went back to the doctors and to be honest they were not happy on how i was being treated and that they went againest her orders of light duties, so she put me on another line for 4 weeks.

I told my manager i was on the line by phone and they suggested i should take the rest of the week off and come back on the Monday. When i came back at the beginning of the week, a colleaque came up to me shouted "oh aye on a 4 week line are you??" I turned round and said "how did you find that out??" I got no answer as he walked off. I was later told that the manager was telling everyone i was on a line!!! I wasnt happy that my confidentiality was broken!

I went back to the office and told them i was on another line stating lights duties. Next thing i found myself on a duty with a van delivering to new developments and doing packets etc!!! A duty in its own!! I felt like i couldnt say no to them! It all came to a head when the asked me to do the New developments and a whole duty to starburst with someone else. The duty was a killer with stairs and hills etc. Needless to say we were over our time and all the DOM said was that we could have done it quicker!! EASY!!

Thats when it all came to a head, i told her i wasnt happy that i was stuck doing that and i reminded her i was on a line stating that i should avoid walking long distances. She was apathetic and just simply shrugged saying that "she needed me for the Xmas build up and that it wasnt too bad" and that there was nothing they could do for me and if i wasnt happy, i should take the rest of the line off and she couldn't guarantee that as my job is a Postman and that i should be walking there could be repercussions, she kept saying "i am not to put fear into you but its your job and that i can't gurantee what will happen if it continues!!!"

So i took the rest of the time off and went back to the doctor and told them the whole situation. He was not happy and said i should contact the CAB and see what they say and that i should just rest it.

A couple of days after i got a phone call from the DOM asking if i was OK, they asked if i was on a line and i said that i alrady was!!! HE DIDNT EVEN KNOW I WAS ALREADY ON ONE!!!!

So after 10 weeks i am stressed to my nut and no referal to ATOS and yet there is a guy in the Office who bumped his head and is in the office folding D2D's??????? and heres me walking about with a Doctors Backing!!??!!

Maybe i am but i feel a little mistreated!

call the bullying and harassment hotline, and report this malpractice!!!!

[Darren Bent]

Royal Mail is ineffective as they can't have some duties to help injured postal workers to work and do a day work rather than stopping home waiting for injuries to heal. They doesn't know what skills we have to for them to use. All they care is about clearing walks and absorbing and doors to doors. Good luck and follow the GP and ATOS advice.

[krussel]

At that moment he went mental and simply shouted at me

There is so much wrong with what ive just read At that stage you should have walked out and cont the meeting with a your Rep present. I assume you are a CWU member ? If not i would advise you to become one asap

You need to sort this out quickly before the xmas pressure builds up. What you need is a few weeks at least of light inside duties which involves as little walking as possible. Its time to consider if you cont to attempt deliveries then you may do some perm damage and your ankle may never be right again.

If it was me i would prob go sick for the next 6-7 weeks and rest up. I ve known 4 people in my office to max out 6 months sick under Atos and still come back to a job (thats my office though ).

You NEED a rep involved with this.

Best of luck, keep us up to date.