Normal practice?

[Tweedy78]

Having been on sick leave for 3 months now after a operation and speaking to my manager who got atos involved, with a report outlining phased return to work. I saw my doctor who laughed at atos for his opinion, and he signed me off for another month to rehabilitate.
Now I've been asked by manager to attend another meeting to discuss my absence and how they can get me back to work! Are RM managers or just mine more than just managers but are also Surgeons/Doctors/Physios who know best, or is this the norm? And should I attend this meeting?
The company is falling fast to laughable with jokers running offices without consideration to employee health/welfare.

[coxie]

Attending is up to you, he should only be inviting you in he any force you in, if you dot feel ready tell him you don't feel ready and that your doctor agrees. The trouble is we get paid for sick leave so you're going to have to do something at some point they won't just let you sit at home for another 3 months all nice and peacefully. You might be able to delay it but eventually you're going to have to play ball.

[rehabron]

RM have a right to ask you to attend a meeting as you will be enjoying full wages during your sick term. The meeting is to establish on the prognosis of your medical condition how best obviously for RM benefit as they are still paying your wages how best they can assist you for an earlier return. RM will accept OH Assist recommendations over and above your GP as they are their appointed occupational health provider and in their opinion as an occupational health provider are better suited than your GP.
OH Assist will with your consent set up a rehabilitation programme such as shorter working day and modified duties over a period of time which includes a weekly rehabilitation programme where it will be discussed if you are meeting the required standard of the rehabilitation programme or are there still adjustments to be made. It will not be all one way as you will have an imput.
OH Assist will have a rough idea of the time you need to recover from your condition. Certain conditions including surgery will have a time element that is stipulated for a full recovery.
For instance if you were absent due to a broken leg and your duty was a walk you would not be required to attend a meeting and doubt if they offer an alternative or a modified duty.

[fatmike]

I'm having a similar problem. OH Assist phoned me up just a couple of weeks after having surgery on my foot. They drew up a plan and wanted me back to work the next week on light duties. Given that I could hardly drive without pain and couldn't stand up for more than 10 minutes at a time, I felt this was all a little too soon. I phoned the surgeon who urged me not to go back to work until I'd seen him again, which would be another 4 weeks. My physio advised me the same, and so did the doctor, who wrote me out a note.

So I let my boss know and sent him the note. He says there shouldn't be such a gap between the surgeon's recommendation and the OH plan, and that OH will now contact my GP to get things sorted, as if I'm taking the mickey with the time I'm having off.

I just find it ridiculous that I'm being made out as some kind of liar, milking the time off (believe me, it's not that exciting having several weeks off work when all you can do is lie down with your leg in the air). I trust the opinion of the guy who performed the damn operation. Luckily I'm on annual leave soon, so that's one week where they can't try and get me back too early. I know that even a half day would create a lot of swelling and discomfort, and put back my recovery/risk further injury that requires more time off.

Anyone else had similar issues after surgery? Is it best to go with what the experts say, or will this cause problems at work?

[BarnsleyLackey]

I'm having a similar problem. OH Assist phoned me up just a couple of weeks after having surgery on my foot. They drew up a plan and wanted me back to work the next week on light duties. Given that I could hardly drive without pain and couldn't stand up for more than 10 minutes at a time, I felt this was all a little too soon. I phoned the surgeon who urged me not to go back to work until I'd seen him again, which would be another 4 weeks. My physio advised me the same, and so did the doctor, who wrote me out a note.

So I let my boss know and sent him the note. He says there shouldn't be such a gap between the surgeon's recommendation and the OH plan, and that OH will now contact my GP to get things sorted, as if I'm taking the mickey with the time I'm having off.

I just find it ridiculous that I'm being made out as some kind of liar, milking the time off (believe me, it's not that exciting having several weeks off work when all you can do is lie down with your leg in the air). I trust the opinion of the guy who performed the damn operation. Luckily I'm on annual leave soon, so that's one week where they can't try and get me back too early. I know that even a half day would create a lot of swelling and discomfort, and put back my recovery/risk further injury that requires more time off.

Anyone else had similar issues after surgery? Is it best to go with what the experts say, or will this cause problems at work?

What do you mean "Luckily I'm on annual leave soon..."? You're on the sick mate. You don't have a prolonged absence, with an annual leave week in the middle of it. You stay sick until you're well again, then you get that leave week back for later.

[Tweedy78]

I'm having a similar problem. OH Assist phoned me up just a couple of weeks after having surgery on my foot. They drew up a plan and wanted me back to work the next week on light duties. Given that I could hardly drive without pain and couldn't stand up for more than 10 minutes at a time, I felt this was all a little too soon. I phoned the surgeon who urged me not to go back to work until I'd seen him again, which would be another 4 weeks. My physio advised me the same, and so did the doctor, who wrote me out a note.

So I let my boss know and sent him the note. He says there shouldn't be such a gap between the surgeon's recommendation and the OH plan, and that OH will now contact my GP to get things sorted, as if I'm taking the mickey with the time I'm having off.

I just find it ridiculous that I'm being made out as some kind of liar, milking the time off (believe me, it's not that exciting having several weeks off work when all you can do is lie down with your leg in the air). I trust the opinion of the guy who performed the damn operation. Luckily I'm on annual leave soon, so that's one week where they can't try and get me back too early. I know that even a half day would create a lot of swelling and discomfort, and put back my recovery/risk further injury that requires more time off.

Anyone else had similar issues after surgery? Is it best to go with what the experts say, or will this cause problems at work?

The doc signs you back to work when you are fit and ready mate. Atos are a joke. Were you embarrassed at the impertinent questions they ask you? ie "can you push a trolley" "do you do housework" or" were you in pain" no I wasn't in pain I thought I'd waste NHS time and money by having an op so I could have time off work and not be able to do simple things like have a shower, pick my kids up, not put my socks on in the morning!!!!! And as above if your line lapses with your annual leave you'll get that leave back but when god only knows!!!!

[fatmike]

Thanks for the heads up. Hadn't been informed that any annual leave would be credited back.