Re: Stupid Occupational Health Advisor

[Guest guest]

, why not follow this consultation up with a letter

addressing it to the Nurse and sending a copy to the Head of the OT Unit

setting out your problems and asking that they take these into consideration.

You could enclose, by way of explanation, a copy of the attached, and this will

help them in their understanding of this disease.

Luv - Sheila

Hi All,

Sorry for the length of this posting but I am upset and cross.

I have just had an Occupational Health consultation at work. My line manager

arranged it as I asked him if I could have a parking space on site.

For the past 11 years I have had parking a few yards from my office – but

in December the office moved and I was denied a parking space at the new site.

Going on the bus to and from work has worn me out. I find it difficult walking

up the hill to the bus stop and waiting until it arrives. My back hurts waiting

at the bus stop and the lurching and swaying of the bus makes my back worse -

and the excessive heat under the seat makes me almost faint. I am either too

hot or too cold from what I am wearing. By the time I get to work I am

exhausted. It takes 45 mins to get home – and by that time I am really

exhausted.

When I was able to drive to and from work it took me about 15 mins each way. I

always had extra clothing in the car in case I got cold. I had a fan in case I

got too hot or I could take a layer of clothing off. I always carried water and

extra medication. I didn't have to walk up a hill.

The Occupational Health lady (I was told later that she was a nurse) did not

seem to know much about hypothyroidism and the T3 or NDT I was taking. When I

told her that I was taking 40mcg of T3 she assumed that I took it all at once

in the morning. It took me about 5 mins to get her to understand that I took it

in 4 divided doses. She asked questions that did not seem relevant and did not

seem to understand what I was explaining to her. The 45 min meeting was a waste

of my time. She told me that it might be a good idea to get my GP to refer me

to an endocrinologist in London who could better diagnose me and help improve

my health. I don't know why she suggested that.

If it had not been for being able to drive to work for the past 11 years, I

doubt if I would have been able to keep my job. Public transport is all well

and good but it does not pick me up from my house, keep me in an ambient

temperature that I can tolerate, drop me at work after a smooth journey and do

the same in reverse at the end of my working day.

Hypothyroidism affects people in such differing ways. To some people, I am

whinging, I should be thankful that I have a job – but if I am exhausted

when I get there my working quality of life if being compromised.

I am managing my hypothyroidism. I just hoped that the Occupational Health

would understand a bit better than she did about my difficulty in getting to

and from work. She made me feel such a fraud and near to tears.

I doubt I will get a parking space.

B

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A2. WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT....doc

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheila,

> , why not follow this consultation up with a letter addressing it to the

Nurse and sending a copy to the Head of the OT Unit setting out your problems

and asking that they take these into consideration. You could enclose, by way of

explanation, a copy of the attached, and this will help them in their

understanding of this disease.

>

> Luv - Sheila

I have just received an email at work from the OH nurse. I signed the form

saying to send her letter to my home email address and I had told her to send

the email to my home address - but she sent it to my work email address.

Her recommendations only relate to my lower back pain. She has totally ignored

the other things I told her. She obvoiously was not listening to me.

I have copied the attachment you sent me and, depending on the outcome with my

line manager regarding a parking space, I may send it to her.

She had the same attitude that most GPs and endos seem to have. Take one

thyroxine pill in the morning and 'hey bingo' you are back to excellent health.

She seemed to have her own view of hypothyroidism - a very narrow one - and in

her arrogance, seemed to not need to hear my point of view or my problems. It

was as though, when I was talking to her, she could hear me but was not

listening. (something I learned to pick up on with my ex-husband - he used to do

the same thing). I was allotted an half hour meeting, so in retrospect, I should

have known better than to expect an in depth discussion.

I hope the assessments with Disability Living Allowance advisors are not the

same as the OH advisor here at work. Having to tell someone about one's

condition - having to explain the difficulties of hypothyroidism to someone who

does not understand the condition (or even care). It is bad enough with trying

to get doctors to understand.

B

[Guest guest]

Hi , that is

why I attached the document " What's it all about " because that shows

whoever is reading it exactly what our problem is. Show them that document and

ask them to read it and to ask any questions that they do not understand.

Luv - Sheila

I hope the assessments with Disability Living Allowance advisors are not the

same as the OH advisor here at work. Having to tell someone about one's

condition - having to explain the difficulties of hypothyroidism to someone who

does not understand the condition (or even care). It is bad enough with trying

to get doctors to understand.

B

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[Guest guest]

Hi , I used to be an Occupational Health Advisor (Registered Nurse) and I am afraid that some of them are pretty useless, some though are very good, just like GP's !! As you have a degree of disability, registered or not your employer has a duty to help you, to enable you to make your working life easier. You should write to your HR dept (Personnel) or the head honcho, pointing out your problem and asking for them to help facilitate your needs ie a parking place. They have to do this by law or it's disability discrimination. Are you a member of a union?

You may have a problem with the Disability Living Allowance people because the government employ private firms to do the assessments and pay them according to how many people they DO NOT PASS !! I know because I applied for one of the jobs and it's in the job description. Disgusting but true. I did not go for the job my principles wouldn't let me! Also,my partner has a terrible spinal degenerative injury and is in constant intractable pain but they passed him as "fit to work" !! I went to the assessment with him, I saw what they did and heard what they asked. If you fail your assessment then you must appeal and you should pass on that appeal. If you need any help I will be glad to advise.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

> Hi , I used to be an Occupational Health Advisor (Registered >

Thanks for your reply. I was amazed that the OH company get paid by how many

they do not pass.

I am waiting for my line manager to get in touch with me regarding my parking

space. He is useless, and a time may soon come when I tell him so.

I don't like discussing my condition with people at work but I do have one

colleague who is understanding. Hypothyroidism is a disability but not one that

is well known. Unfortunately it is difficult to explain quickly. When I used to

try to explain to a few colleagues at work, I could see their eyes glaze over

and their attention start to falter. Now when I am having a bad day, I just say

I didn't get much sleep the night before.

But I did expect the OH advisor to be more clued up than she was. It would also

have been better if she had been less arrogant and more interested in what I was

saying.

Still, life is a learning curve and I will be better prepared if I have to

attend another OH interview.

B

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I think I might have given you confusing info as not all OH advisers get paid for not passing people. It's the government OH advisers! Unfortunately these are the ones that assess people on DLA and other benefits. Because the more people they get off benefits the more money they save the government. Private companies usually don't pay their OH people in this way. I'm talking about "ATOS" in particular and there was a journalist in Scotland doing a piece about how awful they are (that's why I wouldn't work for them).

Hope you pass your assessment, if you don't, the offer still stands.

Re: Stupid Occupational Health Advisor

Hi ,> Hi , I used to be an Occupational Health Advisor (Registered >Thanks for your reply. I was amazed that the OH company get paid by how many they do not pass.I am waiting for my line manager to get in touch with me regarding my parking space. He is useless, and a time may soon come when I tell him so.I don't like discussing my condition with people at work but I do have one colleague who is understanding. Hypothyroidism is a disability but not one that is well known. Unfortunately it is difficult to explain quickly. When I used to try to explain to a few colleagues at work, I could see their eyes glaze over and their attention start to falter. Now when I am having a bad day, I just say I didn't get much sleep the night before.But I did expect the OH advisor to be more clued up than she was. It would also have been better if she had been less arrogant and more interested in what I was saying.Still, life is a learning curve and I will be better prepared if I have to attend another OH interview. B