Mumsnet Talk

I have been offered a job in the nhs as a customer service officer on switchboard.
I am a little worried as I have had quite a few sick days in the last year and a half. Once I was signed off sick for 5 days for kidneys infection and I few other times a day or two here and there for tummy bug....flu/vomiting. What should I say on the questionnaire and can they ask my manager about sick days? He will give me very nice reference I know but what about the sick days? Can they refuse employment because of it?
Any advice appreciated thanks

It is a formality and won't be a problem for the role you have applied for.

Kidney infections and stomach bugs can't be helped as long as a constant pattern isn't formed.

Oh thanks for that I hope it will be fine can they request information from the referee a out this? From my manager basically?

The company will request references but most receivers of request simply put "Mrs Taylor was employed with us for x amount of years in such and such role" and leave it at that.

If Occ health want to ask about sickness they would want to write to your doctor but would need your signed permission first.

You can give this if asked because your sickness doesn't sound bad at all

I am doing the form now and at the bottom you have to say if you agree or disagree for them to contact your Gp. It does say they may on some occasions. I said I agree because it would look suspicious if I don't. What do you think can prevent you from being cleared for the job? Severe illness?

You will be fine as long as you are in good health apart from the odd bout of flu and kidney infections.

Also the role you are applying for is following the same procedures for hiring management, productive and operational staff

Good luck

They are asking about your health primarily to consider any H&S issues that may arise, or if they'd need to make any workplace adjustments for you. The sick days you've detailed are nothing out of the ordinary. That type of thing would only warrant further investigation if it was all on Mondays and Fridays. It's a formality, don't worry.

Bike said it all so much clearer than I did

I feel much better now thank you all I just don't want anything to go wrong!

Good luck Taylor.

Thank you

Do any of you work in the nhs? Sorry don't mean to be nosy just wondered if you speak from experience

I did 10 years operational with the NHS and I am now in a completly different industry, HR related

HR lovely now I feel even better knowing that it comes from an HR person with 10 years experience in the nhs god bless you

So to continue from last night....my manager has given the reference today and yes there was a question about sick days last one year! I have had 11 sick days on 5 occasions. One occasion is 5 days off for kidney infection he explained this on the reference! Please tell me I shouldn't be worried

Not NHS or HR, but line manager in large Quango, so very similar procedures, and I do a lot of interviwing/recruiting.

Don't be worried about the 5 days. It is the number of incidents of sickness that really count, so these 5 days count as 1 incident. I am happy to be corrected by any HR folk out there.

I recruit in the NHS. One 5 day absence and a few other days wouldn't worry me.

Do you think it would be ok? I don't think they can refuse the job based on 11 sick days?

Thanks for the replies I am just being paranoid probably....I haven't even given my notice yet! And on the occupational health check I had to complete I have answered no to all questions apart from the 11 sick days....now cross fingers

Hey, where I work the last Q on the Occ Health questionnaire is "Are you pregnant?". It may make the applicant feel vulnerable, but it is purely for risk assessment and risk management.

Oh my god yes that will make anyone feel uncomfortable!
This morning I went in to give my passport for ID check and the guy told me it takes 5 to 8 days for the department to even look at it. Everything takes so long....

To look at the health questionnaire I meant

They won't refuse you the job based on your sickness record - I work in the NHS. It would be infinitely worse if you hadn't declared the sick days and then your current employer did, that would set the alarm bells ringing properly.

Yes I declared it on the occupational health check and he has said the same on the reference but when I was at the interview one of the managers asked me about my sick days and me being so nervous I only remembered about the last two days sickness I had cause I was really bad vomiting and all! The other times including the kidneys was very long time ago over a year and I completely forgot about it! But I have declared all on the form after my manager reminded me of the kidney incident! I hope I would not like I was hiding it!