Back Injury now Atos are Involved

[redissue]

Hospital Physio booked through my doctor as ATOS have'nt even contacted me about a date that they were arranging
My Doctor has now diagnosed that the problem is worse than they first thought,even suggesting that i should ask for compensation from my work!
It's looking more and more like a long recovery period and i'd imagine that i will be advised not to have a manual job in the future.
Luckily last year i started going to college retraining with the view to starting another career.I've another year left and i will be fully qualified.
Maybe it's a good thing that i may have to leave.IHR look's more likely now as i can't see the DOM wanting to keep someone on that can't even work in the callers office!

[terryfortlea]

hi i was refered by ohs and sent to swindon with my bad back, was told i see specialist etc n b sorted when in fact its idiots in a room telling u its in ur head the pain. u go through a exercise plan to get u to return to work. i was kicked off the course as my back didnt heal quick enough. im currently awaiting a specialist and the managers thinks nhs u get seen straight away. im now persuing ilr and awaiting a offer

[dejavu]

I've been off for 5 months now with bad back. Had an MRI scan and it didn't come back good. When I asked the doctor how long it will take to I'm recovered and ready for work, he said, I need a CT scan so thats up to 6 weeks for an appointment, need to see a neuro surgeon, so up to 6 weeks for the appointment for that, prob need physio so thats 2-3 months and maybe need surgery so 3 months for that, all in all be at least another 6 months Bloody NHS takes forever
Manager spoke to me yesterday sayimg I'll see the ATOS doctor face to face and he'll probably talk to me about HRI. Got my appointment on Tuesday to see him. Looks like I'm on my way
Although in one way I'll be glad to get out of RM, when youv'e only known manual work all your life its gonna be hard getting another job and like its been said, mention your HRI or any back problems in a interview and you may as well prob spit in the their face as well since your chances of getting the job will more or less have vanished

[redissue]

Second phone call appointment with ATOS now arranged,the last time they came to the conclusion that i would be back to work within 3 weeks.
Well nearly two months later i'm still off with as i've said here before a condition that is'nt getting better,and as my Doctor has indicated may never fully heal.So is this the next step in IHR or is it just another waste of 10 min's of both our time! Would'nt it be a better idea for me to see one of their doctor's face to face.My doctor can see how serious it is why can't the Royal mail?

[General Mannerheim]

Second phone call appointment with ATOS now arranged,the last time they came to the conclusion that i would be back to work within 3 weeks.
Well nearly two months later i'm still off with as i've said here before a condition that is'nt getting better,and as my Doctor has indicated may never fully heal.So is this the next step in IHR or is it just another waste of 10 min's of both our time! Would'nt it be a better idea for me to see one of their doctor's face to face.My doctor can see how serious it is why can't the Royal mail?

Because they have to be very careful about the time limits of just making somebody IHR because of some recent court cases.

[redissue]

Second phone call appointment with ATOS now arranged,the last time they came to the conclusion that i would be back to work within 3 weeks.
Well nearly two months later i'm still off with as i've said here before a condition that is'nt getting better,and as my Doctor has indicated may never fully heal.So is this the next step in IHR or is it just another waste of 10 min's of both our time! Would'nt it be a better idea for me to see one of their doctor's face to face.My doctor can see how serious it is why can't the Royal mail?

Because they have to be very careful about the time limits of just making somebody IHR because of some recent court cases.

Ahh! That would explain that then.Thank you.

[redissue]

Saw my Doctor today, signed me off for another month.
So ATOS phone call next week,be interesting what their report say's now.
Doctor told me it could be up to year before i can do any sort of work,let alone walking for 5 hours a day!
I told them about ATOS and how the RM try and get people out by IHR,they were shocked and said that no company should be able to do this with people that are obviously off with a work related injury.Welcome to the world of Royal mail!!
The outcome of this obviously is how badly my DOM want's to get rid of a Full time contract worker and replace them with someone on a short term contract.Look's like my time working with this company may be coming to an end.Then again i've been working with them so long nothing suprises me!!

[dejavu]

I told them about ATOS and how the RM try and get people out by IHR,they were shocked and said that no company should be able to do this with people that are obviously off with a work related injury.Welcome to the world of Royal mail!!

Exactly what my doctor said and thought, know how you feel redissue, RM and managers couldn't care less and will be quite happy to get rid of a full time 40 hour a week member of staff to either employ someone on less hours or more likely, not employ anyone at all, reap their bonus for saving that money and making everyone else do more to cover for it.

[redissue]

I told them about ATOS and how the RM try and get people out by IHR,they were shocked and said that no company should be able to do this with people that are obviously off with a work related injury.Welcome to the world of Royal mail!!

Exactly what my doctor said and thought, know how you feel redissue, RM and managers couldn't care less and will be quite happy to get rid of a full time 40 hour a week member of staff to either employ someone on less hours or more likely, not employ anyone at all, reap their bonus for saving that money and making everyone else do more to cover for it.

From recent coversations with the managers it would seem that they are waiting for the green light from ATOS to offer me IHR.
It's been suggested that i ask ATOS for a face to face examination and not a phone call as happened previously.Suprised that they don't have a say if it is a face to face with an ATOS doctor.
I'd imagine that if ATOS say that i'm unfit for duty then that would be it.

[terryfortlea]

i had go to see ohs in person and they issued me a letter to managers saying 3-6 months light duties til im fit to continue my delivery roll. managers keep pushing me to start delivering soon as so why bother with ohs if they refuse to obey by them?
i was going to my doctors today and my manager gave me a letter for them asking when i can resume delivery and dr said is ur manager stupid lol .
gave me a sick note saying read the ohs report .
i noticed no managers go sick with any back problems even though they sat on there backsides all morning!!!!

[POSTMAN]

Manager gave you a letter for your Doc,that's a new one.

[General Mannerheim]

Manager gave you a letter for your Doc,that's a new one.

It said:
Dear Doctor xxx
I have today consulted my junior encyclopedia of medicine and I am concerned that Mr Terry has now been off for a number of weeks/months,I have also taken the liberty of furnishing you with a copy of the spine picture from said book and you can clearly see that a few misplaced spine disc are in no way a long term illness and that your patient should be able to resume his FULL duties as soon as possible.
If you don't agree i will ask Atos to confirm this(if I can find some crayons) and will be very cross.
Signed DR DOM GSC SSC and BSC.Aged 33 and a half.

[terryfortlea]

lol they try every trick in the book the managers. i soon shut him up by saying its now harrasment as ur failing to go by my ohs report

[redissue]

Had my conversation with ATOS,they have agreed that i cant do any type of manual work including light duties at the present moment.
They fully agree with my Doctor that it would be dangerous to return to work as i could do permanent damage.
They have set me up for physio 1st,was told that most people respond to the treatment but they would say in the report that they could'nt promise that i would.In the worst case scenario i would need surgery to correct the problem
Also it was mentioned that my DOM had asked about the possibility of IHR.
I would have liked to see an ATOS doctor personaly to be honest,but at least this time i was told of the different stages leading up to IHR.
A scan would be needed to prove my condition was long term as my doctor has indicated.ATOS can only advise Royal Mail what stage my recovery is and what would be the best option at the moment.I'd imagine it's up to the DOM and local area manager if it's worth keeping me as it's going to be a long recovery and with no promise that i will not just get the same problem a few months after returning to work.
As i can't even do light duties i'd imagine the DOM would try and get me out on IHR,will be interesting to see what they say when they get the report through.

[redissue]

Got my report back from ATOS and they've agreed that i'm currently unable to work.They have referred me for physio and have suggested redeployment or possible IHR.Possible IHR was queried by my DOM so that show's they don't feel i'll be coming back to work.It's a matter of how my physio goes now but i was warned by my doctor and ATOS that i may face surgery :(
So if my physio does'nt work that's it then,never thought that my time at Royal mail would end like this but this now seems a very likely outcome.