Medical redeployment

[alangodfrey]

Hi there. I'm thinking this may be more of a HR issue but I'm feeling very anxious and could really do with some advice. (Actually, I don't really want advice. I just want someone to tell me that it's going to be ok, but anyway.)

I work for a council and have been diagnosed with long-standing anxiety and am also neurodivergent. I work with vulnerable people and have recently been finding the role extremely difficult. However, since changes in the way we work, anxiety is getting unmanageable again. I had a referral to HR earlier this year and they recommended medical redeployment. I started this process but it's been extremely arduous and it feels like rather than re-deploying me, they're looking at things like counselling, which I don't really feel will help as a lot of my difficulties are to do with practical issues and the difficulties I have with adapting to the changes. These changes are also likely to continue apace, and make life increasingly difficult and impact massively on my anxiety. I love the work I do but 'the other stuff' is making me so ill that I've planned to go off sick from Monday. I genuinely need this - I'm not sleeping, I'm not being the best husband or father I can be as I'm so worried and down, and I need to get better.

What I was thinking/ hoping (and hoping folk on here agree!) is that as well as improving my mental health, the period of sickness will push forward the medical redeployment process. I hate the idea of going back to the same role with the same (or worse) issues and have been very frustrated that the process so far has been so lengthy and drawn out. My manager told me that if I went off ill again, there would be another Occupational Health referral, and if this came back with another recommendation for medical redeployment and clearly stated how my current role is impacting on my mental health, surely they wouldn't send me back to that job, particularly?

Hope that makes sense. I really want to be able to look after my mental health when I'm off and the lack of clarity about what I'll be going back to is really aggravating.

Thanks.

(Should add that the process so far has been regarding looking at what adaptations can be made so I can continue in my role. That's why they're looking at mental health support. However, as stated, it's not just my anxiety, it's all the practical issues that are impacting on my anxiety and autism too. )

[ULA]

I appreciate that this is a situation is making you feel anxious.

I would suggest that you arrange an appointment with your GP initially and if they feel you should be signed off from work for a period of time then any absence should be covered by a Fitness to Work certificate. This may of itself trigger your employer to refer you for an Occupational Health assessment. The outcome of any referral will be a report that may recommend a medical redeployment to support, what appears from your post, to be a previous recommendation of this nature.


Just as a further note I hope that your username is not your actual name. As this is a public forum when registering your are advised not to create a username that is identifiable. If you need to change your username then please contact the admin team.

[alangodfrey]

Thanks ULA. AG isn't my real name, just something random I made up on the spot.

I'm going to the GP tomorrow and I'm pretty sure he'll agree to sign me off.

Just wish I knew that I won't have to go back to my current role. I'd forgotten that my union said we can put in a grievance if they don't agree to MR, and the process I was moving through might well put me through to it anyway, even without a further occupational health recommendation. Trying to stay positive. Thanks again!