Some advice please, returning to work.

[Trip]

Back in September I visited the opticians due to deterioration in my sight in my right eye. They advised me that I may have a tumour and referred me to the hospital. After being seen by a consultant I was advised that it was highly likely to be a cancerous tumour and was referred to an eye specialist. I visited the opticians on the Wednesday, by the following Tuesday I was seen by the consultant at the local hospital, and following this I was placed on the sick for 1 month. By mid October I received an appointment to see the eye specialist in Liverpool who advised for Proton beam therapy. This was completed at the end of January.

Proton beam therapy is non invasive, but it involves a powerful laser being targeted at the tumour at the back of the eye, they advise that initially following treatment the sight may improve but then in the next 1 to 2 years the vision will deteriorate further.

The issue is that I am employed as a delivery driver with a national delivery company, I deliver parcels to peoples homes using a van. I have been signed off work so far for 5months, I am keen to return to work but worried as my sight is still not great in the one eye. I have not been advised by the hospital or my GP to inform the DVLA.

Where do I stand? If I am referred to occupation health what can happen if they advise that I should not drive?

[ULA]

I am not a medical person but I think you need to take this one stage at a time. Currently you are signed off work for 5 months, What is the company doing about keeping in touch with you and how aware have you made then of your condition?

It will also be on the advice of your medical team, your consultant about what duties you may be able to undertake when you do return to work.

If in the event that your consultant and/or an occ health report advises that you should not drive then your company will need to consider "reasonable adjustments" which may include another role that does not involve driving.

[Trip]

Thank you. I have made them aware of the above, but not my own concerns around driving at the moment. They have contacted me once a month throughout the absence period. I am considering contacting to union to see what advice they may be able to give.

They have not referred me to occ health yet, but I am conscious that this may be sooner as appose to later if I were to extend my absence period.

[ULA]

It is good they have been keeping in regular contact with you.

At some point yes your employer may ask you to have an occ health visit, often because they want to establish things like when you will be able to return to work, given the guidance from your consultant for which they should ask your permission to contact him/her for a report and what duties you may be able to come back to given the reasons for your absence. This means they can then have time to consider how they manage any recommendations in advance of your return such as:

1. Staged return to work e.g. part time working for a period of time building up to full time.
2. Changes to duties that may be recommended
3. Any other adjustments that may be required

[Trip]

Thanks for the information. What could happen if Occ healh say that I should no longer drive? I have worked for the company for 5-6 years.

[ULA]

In the first instance your company would need to consider all possible reasonable adjustments which could include the possibility of an alternative position which you can carry out even given your health situation in the event it was deemed you could no longer drive.

Ultimately though if no reasonable adjustments could be made or another alternative position found then depending on your age and any company pension arrangements you have in place there may be an option to look at what is termed "medical retirement" or "retirement on ill-health grounds". If this is not an option, then if a fair process is followed that does not discriminate because of your disability and all options have been considered your employer may be able to dismiss.