Worried about occ health referral

[JLXRD]

To give some back ground I work for a large company in a role that involves commuting around the country (driving). I’ve worked at the company for 8 years and only had one instance of being signed off for a week when I had a miscarriage.

I have been off work (signed off) with gallbladder issues which are causing me intense pain for the last week. This was discovered after a trip to a and e where I was in agony. I have surgery scheduled for 3rd of August to have my gallbladder removed, and after this will need 2 weeks off to recover. I’m on a liquid only diet and struggling still, just want my surgery done asap so I can go back to normal.

I’ve told my manager all of this, but he has said he wants to refer me to occ health to see if I can return quicker.

I’m very worried about this - I thought occupational health was normally for issues affected by work, but as far as I’m concerned once I’m recovered I will just go back as normal? It feels like I am being questioned for being off even though it’s something I can’t control.

Has anyone been to occupational health for something similar and been told they had to go back right after surgery or anything like that?

 

[RandomAlpaca22]

To give some back ground I work for a large company in a role that involves commuting around the country (driving). I’ve worked at the company for 8 years and only had one instance of being signed off for a week when I had a miscarriage.

I have been off work (signed off) with gallbladder issues which are causing me intense pain for the last week. This was discovered after a trip to a and e where I was in agony. I have surgery scheduled for 3rd of August to have my gallbladder removed, and after this will need 2 weeks off to recover. I’m on a liquid only diet and struggling still, just want my surgery done asap so I can go back to normal.

I’ve told my manager all of this, but he has said he wants to refer me to occ health to see if I can return quicker.

I’m very worried about this - I thought occupational health was normally for issues affected by work, but as far as I’m concerned once I’m recovered I will just go back as normal? It feels like I am being questioned for being off even though it’s something I can’t control.

Has anyone been to occupational health for something similar and been told they had to go back right after surgery or anything like that?

OH wont be able to say you can return to work sooner - the whole point of OH is to make amendments within your current job to make it as easy and comfortable for you as possible. Cant understand why it would be referred to OH anyway as I am guessing there isn't much you can do to make life any easier until you have had your op

If you have any documentation regarding the op and recovery I'd make sure you put this to one side and maybe provide this to HR

 

[judgejohndeed]

Your manager has not understood the point of occupational health at all. If anything, going to OH, they might say after your time off your commuting etc should be limited as you might still have residual pain etc. I would definitely go to the appointment because if you do need any further adjustments when you return it doesn't sound like your manager is going to help you and they'll have to do what OH recommends

 

[donutwitch]

It may be that your work are looking to verify your condition, and what - if any work you can do (working from home, part time etc) - that is part of what OH doctors do ( as they are there to help the company too) so they can assign an official classification, but it shouldn’t result in any conflict with what your own doctors are saying or the advice you’ve been given so far. Some companies just need/use OH paperwork to manage sick leave, sick pay and things like that so it might just be standard procedure rather than them being suspicious or doubting you.

I wouldn’t worry, and hope you feel better soon.

 

[Octopies]

OH can be quite generic in their approach to referrals so please write down some specific questions or points you wish to make and be really clear with them about your expectations of the report.

Like others have said, your LM is in for a shock if he expects an OH practitioner to say outright that you would be well enough to come back (they are usually very woolly generic answers in a report, but you may get a good clear practitioner)

organisations only treat OH advice as advice and it is their choice whether to follow it. However, they ignore advice at their own peril.

 

[JLXRD]

Ok thank you all I feel reassured - hopefully the anxiety I’m feeling is for nothing.

I’ve never dealt with occ health before so after him saying if we can get you back sooner it just makes me feel like they will be looking to invalidate me needing post op recovery time, for which I’ve been told 2 weeks to be back to normal. I would go back sooner if I felt ok, I just don’t want to be made to feel like I have to prove myself or that I’m ill when I’ve provided a doctors note. Hopefully this isn’t the case.

 

[judgejohndeed]

Ok thank you all I feel reassured - hopefully the anxiety I’m feeling is for nothing.

I’ve never dealt with occ health before so after him saying if we can get you back sooner it just makes me feel like they will be looking to invalidate me needing post op recovery time, for which I’ve been told 2 weeks to be back to normal. I would go back sooner if I felt ok, I just don’t want to be made to feel like I have to prove myself or that I’m ill when I’ve provided a doctors note. Hopefully this isn’t the case.

If you have a doctor's note for two weeks' recovery time they shouldn't actually be allowing you back to work before that time anyway. In any event, you might not be back to normal after a fortnight - you might take longer to recover, get an infection or something. Don't rush back just because your manager is being a twit about it. Your workplace has a duty of care to ensure you're not harmed at work and if you have a big surgery then have to start driving around a lot that could be potentially dangerous if you're not properly healed!

 

[JLXRD]

If you have a doctor's note for two weeks' recovery time they shouldn't actually be allowing you back to work before that time anyway. In any event, you might not be back to normal after a fortnight - you might take longer to recover, get an infection or something. Don't rush back just because your manager is being a twit about it. Your workplace has a duty of care to ensure you're not harmed at work and if you have a big surgery then have to start driving around a lot that could be potentially dangerous if you're not properly healed!

Thank you for replying I was in a total anxiety spiral when I posted this but having calmed down now im just going to explain everything to occ health and I don’t think they will be in a place to argue or that they will want to so I feel a bit better about it all now.

Fingers crossed for a nice understanding occ health person!

 

[Giggling Squid]

Please don’t worry about it! Occ health are fantastic. I’ve recently had several ops, and was signed off for between 1-3 weeks afterwards. Our occ health team worked with me to understand my condition/treatment and put in place recommendations for my return (inc a phased return once my sick notes expired, working from home, on site parking etc)

 

[paintbynumbers]

It may be that your work are looking to verify your condition, and what - if any work you can do (working from home, part time etc) - that is part of what OH doctors do ( as they are there to help the company too) so they can assign an official classification, but it shouldn’t result in any conflict with what your own doctors are saying or the advice you’ve been given so far. Some companies just need/use OH paperwork to manage sick leave, sick pay and things like that so it might just be standard procedure rather than them being suspicious or doubting you.

I wouldn’t worry, and hope you feel better soon.

I would agree with this poster. Standard process in my role to do pre surgery referrals to Occ Health and also to refer for absences that are or will be created than 5 Days. I would say your direct manager is just following process don't worry, it's not you or your specific circumstances.

 

[Souffle]

When I had my gallbladder removed I was signed off for 2 weeks at first but felt like I needed longer so I had a month off in the end. You won’t know how you’re feeling until after the op and OH should understand that.

 

[flutternutter]

I couldnt drive for ages after i had mine out. I would spasm in my side if i stayed still too long.

Occ health will support you. If your manager is doing it to be a knob hes just gonna end up annoyed because occ health will back you if you have letters etc. They might want to go to your gp too so just let them. Be honest. Dont dumb it down.

It will be fine.