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ill-health retirement


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Hi All,

I received a letter from HR today, they want to meet with me on tuesday to discuss my OH report and ill-health retirement :yikes: I have spoken with my GP but she tells me that regardless of her opinion, OH have the final say.

Since sah, I can only really hold one thought in my head at a time and OH/retirement is my one thought for now. I'm really struggling to get anything else done because it's all I can think about. I realise of course that I can't physically do anything before tuesday so there is no point in me stressing right this minute. I don't see how this would work, I've only paid into my pension for 3 years.

On a more positive note...I have a care manager at last woo hoo! The meeting with him is also Tuesday, so by the end of that day I will feel about dead I should think. Looks like I might get to Headway soon then, it's been 10 weeks since I first called them.

Dawn x

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Wow Dawn, that's a lot to get your head around :crazy:

Are you seeing a neuro psycholgist? Mine was amazingly helpful with the work situation. It seems too quick for them to consider writing you off yet, you are still 'recovering' and I think it's widely accepted that the 1st year after a brain injury sees the most improvement & that there can still be improvement up to 2 years later. Your GPs advice does not seem very helpful either, that surprised me but I hope he/she can at least confirm that you are still likely to make further improvements to your employer.

I know with my own work situation that the employer had to have made all reasonable adjustments before medically retiring me. Are you able to contact Headway and ask their advice before Tuesday? I had support from Momentum (also a brain injury organisation) and although I didn't need their help over medical retirement, they do act as a go between for you & your employer & can offer advice to the employer about any adjustments that would help you return to work. I am assuming that Headway may provide a similar service?

Michelle x

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I've not once seen a 'neuro' anything since before I left hospital last Sept. I'll speak to Headway, thanks. I think the problem is that the OH report that has been made was rather negative, it even states that my recovery has been 'slight and slow'. Huh? 8 months ago, I could not walk unaided, I couldn't read and I couldn't remember anything at all. How rude! I will say all of this on Tuesday to HR. It does seem early for them to be doing this, but the OH report states that they cannot see a time in the near future where I might return to work. Er, doh! Of course not, I'm signed off until August, so that's the near future sorted.

I hadn't heard of Momentum so I'll look into that too, thanks!

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Good for you Dawn! Make sure you note down your points and take the note to the meeting so you don't get overwhelmed and forgot to point them out.

'Slow and slight'?? You have made major steps since I first saw you on here!

The Momentum/Transitions people I am receiving help from is based in Aberdeen and I don't know if this is a Scottish charity or UK wide but if you google Momentum you will get more info. I remember that their web site asked for your postcode, then let you know where the nearest office was? I think they do the same type of work as Headway though?

Good luck Dawn and I'm loving your positive attitude to this. You will be a force to be reckoned with on Tuesday :biggrin: Also, if you are allowed to take a long someone for moral support that would probably be a good option for you so it's not just 'you against them'. Please let me know how you get on, I will be thinking of you.

Michelle xx

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Hi Dawn

That report sounds very negative and derogatory! Make sure you note down all the things you had trouble with initially and all the improvements you have made to date, I am sure that will not come across as slow or slight! How dare they dismiss what you have achieved so far!! I am annoyed for you :mad2:

Good luck for the meetings on Tuesday, and I hope you manage to persuade them that you are not ready to back down and take what they assume you are not capable of. You want to be able to go back to work, you just need the time to allow your body & your brain to make further improvements, which you believe will happen in time.

Take care

Kel x

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Hi Dawn,

I had another thought this morning (if only they all came as I read a thread and not in dribs and drabs afterwards!). When I was on sick leave last year I had an appointment at my local job centre (benefits office?) with a disability advisor. That could be someone else to try ringing before your meeting on Tuesday to get advice. I can't remember exactly what help they can give you but I remember being impressed with the advice I got from them.

They also told me about a travel to work scheme - I think it's a scheme where you get a taxi to work if you cannot drive due to ill health but you only pay bus fare rates. I thought this might be of use to you while you are waiting to hear from DVLA.

Michelle xx

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My half sis was born blue baby and she gets lifts, via taxi's everywhere !!

Dawn listen to Michelle..she is right..ohhh ohhh..

A song ....I feel a song coming on.....lol

When no one else can understand me whoo who whoo (I am doing own backing)

When everything I do is wrong ..whoo whoo whoo

You give me hope and consolation ~ ditto x 3 above

You give me strength to carry on

This song is for BTG and all its peeps

Luv ya all

WinB143 xxxxx

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Hi Dawn,

First thing - keep your chin up and stay proud of who you are.

Their negative views are just that - negative but it depends how you look at the problem.

Ie; for every negative, there is a positive alternative.

holding one thought in your head at a time? We blokes are always told by you multi-tasking women thats all we could do - and we haven't done too badly have we?

Signed off until August? You may well come on in leaps and bounds by then - I did exactly that in a similar time span!

Ill health retirement? Think of the time and money they invested in training you and how you can take those skills elsewhere. Think of the opportunities that will open up for you! Don't think of the ones that may close down, other than to examine how you might learn from them.

Don't look back - look forward. if you can't do what you did before think how you can pass on your knowledge to others and then charge them for it! besides - if you work for yourself you can work when you want to, undercut your old firm etc etc

Demand a copy of the report ( quoting Data protection Act 1998 if you have to) to ensure there is nothing factually incorrect or derogatory in it. If there is you can demand they put it right (but they don't have to delete it under that law)

Good luck Dawn - stay positive and let us know how you get on. - go for it girl!!!

Macca

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I think I have badly misunderstood the reason for Tuesday's meeting, it's not ill-health retirement they want to discuss, it's termination of employment due to capability which I believe is much, much worse. I'm trying to find out stuff about this on the internet, there is a number for ACAS, I think I'll speak to them on Monday. I wish this wasn't going on, I simply can't think of anything else right now. Andy keeps pointing out that until we have the meeting, we don't know for sure exactly what it is that we're worrying about. I know that he's right, but just now I'm like a dog with a bone.

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I'm so sorry you are going through this anxiety and stress. When my insurance claim was first denied it was all-consuming. I couldn't think if anything else! I was so upset and stressed out and worried and scared. It's incredible to me that we with injured brains are left to figure out this complex stuff - which becomes more complicated when our brains are shriveled by stress and anxiety.

Is there an advocacy group you can turn to that can help you with this? People have said Headway, as I'm not in the UK I'm not sure exactly what's what but perhaps making a list of places and numbers to call will help you to feel like you are doing something to help this situation. Then tomorrow you can make the calls and see what comes from it? Perhaps do a search on BTG of Lin Lins posts who has been very good at suggesting different advocacy groups.

Sandi K.

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Dawn, thinking about you and hoping you are feeling better.

I read through the thread again and see that there are some suggestions of organizations to contact right here in this thread. It's worth just starting to phone on Monday morning. You will get sent from here to there and back again so keep pen and paper ready to help organize your thoughts.

I'm also wondering if you can push out the meeting? That can be good and bad. You may just want to get it over with because of the stress it's causing you. But, if you are sure you have figured out what the meeting is about and you can give yourself a week or so to get some help perhaps it will make for a better outcome?

Sandi K.

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Seems like they're manipulating the circs to suit theirown purposes. Can you delay and take a union rep in with you? TAke as many notes as you can. Youmay be able to go for unfair or constructive dismissal. Either way, shame on them. Good luck Dawn!

Macca

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Well, the dreaded meeting is over and done with. HR and my manager turned up at 08:30 this morning. Andy is doing overtime this morning and is starting work at 10:00 instead of working til midnight so they had to be here early.

Andy and I had gone through the report from OH and highlighted all the bits that we didn't agree with. I stated that they must see a huge improvement themselves as it has been about 13 weeks since our last meeting and they agreed. We went through all the bits in the report that I didn't agree with and discussed why I thought it was wrong. HR told me that they have just had a very different meeting to the one they thought they were going to have, so I hope this is a positive thing. They are going to write to my GP for another opinion and at some point I'm to have a new meeting with OH.

Maybe I'll sleep tonight?

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As Michelle, Sandi, Louise Kel and Macca have all said.....Well Done Dawn now relax a little and if they put you thru this again.....

Well cannot swear on here lol but you can guess what I am thinking lol....tell them off in no uncertain terms and tell them you must not have stress ever then hit ... No No stop it Win...lol

Keep calm Dawn and smile xx and sing xx

Love

WinB143 xx

Edited by Winb143
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hi dawn

im sorry i didnt pick up on your thread sooner well done on challangeing the report along with hubby i hope they have gone away with a flea in their ear and will reconsider their choice of actons good luck with the result sweetheart

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That's what you should call yourself every day when you look in the mirror! Look over your report again Dawn, in the cold light of day and even get a close friend(not one you work with) to look it over as well to see if there are any additional points you can add in your favour or that you may have missed. It can be tough, but it can also be the point that makes all the difference when decisions are made!

I am really pleased to hear you made it through though - well done indeed Dawn

Best wishes

Macca

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