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Diabetic footwear

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zoem1503

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My husband has started work for a new employer and has been issued with bog standard steel toe caps - he has said he can’t wear them as they aggravate his feet he is however happy to wear his own more expensive pair. They have said they need to provide him with boots but if he got a letter from his gp saying he needs specific footwear they would get him different boots - however his gp wants to charge £42 for the letter! Any suggestions or advice greatly appreciated! Thanks
 
zoem1503 said:
My husband has started work for a new employer and has been issued with bog standard steel toe caps - he has said he can’t wear them as they aggravate his feet he is however happy to wear his own more expensive pair. They have said they need to provide him with boots but if he got a letter from his gp saying he needs specific footwear they would get him different boots - however his gp wants to charge £42 for the letter! Any suggestions or advice greatly appreciated! Thanks
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Ditch the robbing GP.
 
Can you get your husband's employer to pay for the GP letter as they are the ones who insist upon having it?
 
Pay the money if that is what it takes - though check again with the employer about him wearing his own - not just the person in charge of health and safety.
I don't know why it is but officious seems to have been a description invented just for those put in charge of the H&S department in any factory or office.
 
He should go to Occupational Health as this relates to a condition of his employment. Logically if he gets a foot infection that may put him in danger of being off sick or worse, it would be reasonable and sensible to mitigate this risk as well as whatever the risk from his job is that necessitates these boots. I work for a smallish employer but still had an OH assessment because I had indicated I had diabetes but fortunately my conditions of work do not require any modifications but if the employer is aware of an issue then I think the onus is on them to do something about it.
 
zoem1503 said:
My husband has started work for a new employer and has been issued with bog standard steel toe caps - he has said he can’t wear them as they aggravate his feet he is however happy to wear his own more expensive pair. They have said they need to provide him with boots but if he got a letter from his gp saying he needs specific footwear they would get him different boots - however his gp wants to charge £42 for the letter! Any suggestions or advice greatly appreciated! Thanks
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I bought my own safety shoes to wear at work on the occasions when I go to the factory for the very same reasons.

Have a look on the web for "lightweight safety shoes" - if you're lucky you can pick them up for about half the price of your doctor's letter!

Some tool shops (the kind you find on trading estates) keep a stock so you might be able to try before you buy. They are made of composite materials so they have strength but less weight as they don't have steel toe caps. I find mine much more comfortable than the more expensive standard items.
 
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