occupational health assessment

[sue999]

hi, i have had a month off work due to stress, dr told me 2 wks ago my hba1 c was too high, and thats why i have been feeling ****. been suffering from headaches, sickness ect. sighned me off for another 2 wks and put on the sick note, stress/diabetes. had a letter this morning from my employer wanting me to attend there Occupational Health Clinic. other people at work have been off longer than me, and they havent had to attend? has this happend to anyone else?

 

[smidge]

Hey Sue!

Where I work anyone who is signed off with stress has to see Occupational Health. I think this is likely to be the policy with all big companies. They have to ensure and record that they are behaving responsibly with regard your condition and they are tackling issues that cause stress. As for diabetes, my employer was only interested once I started having to take insulin at work. They wanted to know what they had to do if I had a hypo and whether they needed to make any adjustments to my working arrangements. Occupational Health were very good. Personnel wanted to record it as a condition covered by the DDA and my department completely ignore it and forget that I need to eat, inject etc :lol: I doubt it will be a big deal unless you have had lots of previous time off or there is something else going on that you haven't mentioned.

Smidge

 

[catherinecherub]

It is an awkward one. Do you think it is a catch 22? The diabetes makes you stressed and the stress affects your diabetes.
Type2 diabetes is not an illness but a chronic condition and will not improve unless you learn to mange it. If you need any advise then please ask as others will rally round and help you.
There are no rules for when Occupational Health will want to see you as one person's absence will have different reasons than another's. They may want to know how diabetes is affecting you and causing your absence as it is listed along with stress on your Sick Certificate. They may be under the impression that the stress is work related too. There are many variables as to why they will want to see any employee.
I would advise you to take a Union Representative or Advocate with you as very often the conversation and subsequent comprehension of it are lost if you are stressed, even take some notes as this may help.