Manager wants to see my appointment letter

[Grumpy ole thing]

Just for info: https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/#an-affordable-ocular-fundus-camera

 

[Jaylee]

Hi,

My employers are great. They just take my appointments on face value.
(I have no choice where I go but to grab whatever appointment is given me.)
However. I've needed quite a few recently with procedures/treatment "writing off" the rest of the day both logistically & temporarily.

But, appreciating "good faith" with my employer I always offer to produce the yellow letter sent from the hospital when notifying of an impending appointment.
I did once tell my gaffer what the procedure entailed. He winced...
Embarrassed. My boss declines to look at it.

Maybe I'm just lucky he's a bit squeamish...

 

[Deleted Account]

Whilst I am entitled to time off for my diabetes treatment and checks and I have no choice when (or where) my appointments are, I always try to keep the time off to a minimum (e.g. can't drive to work after retina scan but can take a few phone calls from home) or make up the time. I realise this is not possible for all jobs but I feel helping out my colleagues by covering for them when they need a longer lunch, for example, helps the atmosphere at work and ensures my employer appreciates me.
Diabetes may be covered by the DDA but I don't want to take advantage of that and I don't want to give my employer the impression I don't care about my job when there have been redundancies and may be more.

 

[sarah_chadwick]

My employer always needs a copy of any appointment letters to explain absences, it's not a problem, just for HR to keep in your file, that way, you can't be accused of taking time off unnecessarily (some of my ex-colleagues used to think I was skiving!)

 

[NoMemories]

Hah! My work doesn't remotely understand diabetes!

When i go for my retinal screening, I can drive there get screened (with that flashbang grenade machine lol) and drive back almost within an hour.

Guess what? I still get moaned at for the time i've taken, inc driving myself back after light explosions to both eyes :/

 

[noblehead]

When i go for my retinal screening, I can drive there get screened (with that flashbang grenade machine lol) and drive back almost within an hour.

Just be careful @NoMemories , if the retinal screening use dilation drops the advice is not to drive afterwards as the drops cause blurry vision, your insurance will be void if you were involved in a collision.

 

[Chook]

I just asked my husband what he (as a manager) would do - would he want to see this letter. His answer is it depends....

If the employee wasn't giving sufficient notice of the appointment then it would be a firm Yes as any leave requires at least two weeks warning) - or if someone says they want time off to attend an appointment but then intend to return to work but aren't sure how long their absence will be. As someone said before its just record keeping.

Also in his company if you have been there a while and become seriously ill with a life threatening illness they will give paid time off to attend appointments on top of the annual sick day entitlement but then, of course, they will need to see the appointment letter.

However he wouldn't need to see the letter if you were arranging a normal annual leave day for it with the correct two weeks notice.

 

[NoMemories]

Just be careful @NoMemories , if the retinal screening use dilation drops the advice is not to drive afterwards as the drops cause blurry vision, your insurance will be void if you were involved in a collision.

I've never had drops. Should I have had them? I know it sounds daft but I'm fine driving after my appointments (wouldn't risk my car over my life lol)

 

[noblehead]

I've never had drops. Should I have had them? I know it sounds daft but I'm fine driving after my appointments (wouldn't risk my car over my life lol)

Your fine to drive if they don't use the dilation drops, the reason why they often use the drops is to enlarge the pupil of the eye so that they get a better picture of the retina, some members do say that they don't have the drops but I've always had them.

 

[Pinkorchid]

When my husband and I get our appointment letter for our retinal scan it just gives the time day and place and how the drops may affect our eyes so tells us not drive but nothing about diabetes

 

[novorapidboi26]

I think if there are no signs of even background retinopathy then drops wouldn't be used as the image machine is good enough....

I always get them too as they need to do a thorough examination of the eye because there are issues there...

driving wouldn't be impossible but definitely not safe...

 

[Resurgam]

I had drops in my eyes for the screening, and was warned not to drive, but as it was a bright sunny day, I might have had difficulty in finding the car afterwards. Fortunately the place I was sent is an easy walk, and I had a wide brimmed hat and walked in the shade but I was glad to get home and had the curtains closed for a while.

 

[DCUKMod]

I've never had drops. Should I have had them? I know it sounds daft but I'm fine driving after my appointments (wouldn't risk my car over my life lol)

NoMemories - It would seem it depends where you live, whether you have a choice to try the screening with or without drops. Where I live, they no longer will. When I asked again this year, just a few weeks ago, I was told their policy had changed because they were finding they had proportionally more repeat screening in those who had not had the drops.

I would much prefer to have tried without as I find the blurred vision and photo-sensitivity to be disorientating.

 

[serenity648]

I have my screening letter. I have to have drops as they have said that the repeating of scans due to failure is too high to be economical, so everyone has the drops.

I amy have sensitive eyes though as the drops sting like mad for about 10 seconds, and i cant bear the sunlight for about 7 hours afterwards. So far my scans have been normal.

 

[Chook]

I have my screening letter. I have to have drops as they have said that the repeating of scans due to failure is too high to be economical, so everyone has the drops.

I amy have sensitive eyes though as the drops sting like mad for about 10 seconds, and i cant bear the sunlight for about 7 hours afterwards. So far my scans have been normal.

Exactly the same as me - so painful!

 

[berylc]

I spoke to one of my seniors at work last week to tell her that I had a retinopathy appointment for my diabetes and that due to drops being used I would be unable to return to work for 2 - 3 hrs at the most. She was rude and said she didn't want to know about it as she was busy, that was my 3rd attempt that day to tell her. I told another senior 3 days later and explained that I really had to attend this appointment as my last test had a very black image, so was useless. She agreed that I had to go and we agreed to let me work an earlt morning shift instead. What a difference a senior makes!

 

[Jofster01582]

Where I work they tried photocopying people's hospital letters but they have no need to or a right to as they are your private and confidential papers

 

[Fearless36]

I think that the fact that you said you would be unable to travel to work afterwards is what has caused the issue. The manager will need something to explain legally why you are not in the office. Sadly nowadays a lot of people try to pull fast ones and so employment law has wisened up to the fact and now managers have a right to ask for validation of appointments. The appointment letters don't usually disclose unauthorized information other than the purpose, date and time so it should be alright to show to your manager. I'm not sure what information you would like to redact, but maybe you can share and we can let you know. Legally its just about her having backup. For example it happened in my workplace once, where I was having time off for appointments and someone else saw that I was having time off and did the same. So we were both called up to provide evidence of the appointments. I easily did, but the other person couldn't and used me and my absences as an excuse. When it was pointed out that it was due to medical appointments she was very foolish and they ended up sacking her due to that and a variety of reasons.

 

[Fearless36]

Actually they do if you are being paid for the time off - they do have a legal right to ask for proof of the appointment and time. Plus they also have a right to ask you to change it to a more convenient time. A lot of employment cases have been lost because of this.

Where I work they tried photocopying people's hospital letters but they have no need to or a right to as they are your private and confidential papers

 

[Jofster01582]

Actually they do if you are being paid for the time off - they do have a legal right to ask for proof of the appointment and time. Plus they also have a right to ask you to change it to a more convenient time. A lot of employment cases have been lost because of this.

They can ask to see it but not copy it
....hence the private and confidential printed on most hospital letters ......copying a company letter with private and confidential printed on it has had plenty of people sacked