Occupational health at work?

[peeweechigs]

Hi, I'm currently going through a difficult time with my sick father. He has help but it's taking up a lot of my thoughts and I'm worrying a lot about him. I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression. I've had this before at different times in my live but have always struggled through and got better.
I'm working in a fairly stressful busy role and have told my manager who has been really supportive.
She has briefly said to me to refer me to works OH. She had it is meant to help if people make mistakes at work or can't cope with the work. I've made a couple of unimportant mistakes but nothing major. I've not taken any time off nor do I intend to.

I'm not sure if I want her to do this. I don't want a "black mark" on my record as it were and I'm not sure how it would help me. I'm already on medication and seeing a counsellor.
Should I say I don't want her to or could it be a good idea? I don't what the implications might be either way.
Can anyone advise please?

I’d try to see it as a positive. If OH recommends reasonable adjustments, such as extra breaks, more help, fewer tasks or whatever, then it would benefit you to have less stress when you have enough going on.
I hope your DF will be okay

I'm sorry you're going through all this, it sounds like you've got a lot on your plate at the moment and it's no wonder you're feeling how you do.
In my experience, OH referrals are amazing. They're not there to be a black mark or anything negative. They're there to help and support you with your health, be that physical or otherwise, and they're amazing at suggesting different ways to support you through your working hours.
I've seen OH both on the mental health front (and accessed some additional counselling through them) and also physical (and gained an elongated phased return following significant illness).

I've always been scared of them and seen it as a bad thing but they really are there for you and to help and support you. It also "looks good" on your record should you require any time off as it shows you've accessed support available.

Hope all goes okay and your DF is okay.

So it's positive to get referred to OH?

I’ve been referred to OH twice and both times they’ve been very supportive. The first time they pointed me to Access to Work for further help and put forward adjustments to my manager (which she’d refused before) to make my working life easier to manage.

The second time I was referred unnecessarily (my manager was being an idiot) but again they were supportive and gave me advice about stress and protecting myself against the manager. It has been a positive experience both times.

It’s definitely not a negative thing and their support and advice can be very positive.

I'm glad you posted this - my manager wants to refer me but my stresses / anxieties are related to home and not work. I'm not sure what to do and worried my manager will think I'm not good at my work despite no issues of my performance and I am doing the role with no issues! Following x

OH is definitely a positive thing ime. I was really worried beforehand because I honestly thought it was the first step in managing me out. I was so wrong. It's more about the organisation supporting you.

That's what I'm worried about. It makes me feel like I should be able to cope and I feel a bit pathetic that it's affecting my work so much. It isn't that I'm making mistakes, it's that I'm sometimes looking a bit stressed/sad and I need a moment. But I'm not a mess or anything like that.
What can OH do? I don't really understand what their role is and how they can help? And who would know? Would I have to tell them my personal thoughts and issues?

A lot of the time they just refer on to other services, things like offering some counselling or they may discuss whether a different working pattern would help you. Essentially trying to support you to stay well and happy at work.

There's a huge difference with OH that, in my experience, is that they recognise we have a home life too. That we are people and people reach their limit. Sounds like your manager is being really proactive in trying to make sure you don't hit that limit due to added pressures from work.

It does feel like a lot and can feel like an attack but honestly they're there to help you and support you. And you'd have to consent to anything being shared back to manager too so anything personal you tell them won't be fed back.

I've just had OH support following an illness and they were so lovely. Asked about how I'm doing both physically and emotionally, we chatted about how recovery was easier before toddler life. They asked whether set shifts with days off in between and longer phased return could help and I agreed. They also counted all the episodes of sickness as one to remove the fact I'd triggered the sickness management policy (daft old sod that I was, I went back to work too soon TWICE and ended up readmitted for antibiotics. Rather than just taking the longer sickness!).

Basically it's just a case of sitting down with you and working out what, if anything, they could do to make things easier on you. It might be the smallest thing but it could just make the difference.

I used to live going to Occ Health at one job. They had a ward set up with beds and you could go for a snooze if tired or hungover it was run by Bupa and if they sent you home sick it didn't count against your sick record. I had cervical cancer when I was 20 and they arranged all my treatment and counseling too.

I was off unwell with anxiety during pregnancy and I wasn’t sure how they could help. At my first appointment (over the phone) the lady wasn’t very helpful and was making assumptions about my job without having any clue what it involves. I felt like I was just agreeing with things she said to try and get off the phone. The second time I had an appointment with them it was a really helpful lady. She fully got it and I could tell she understood why I had got myself into the state I had about my work. The important thing is that at the end of the appointment you need to check whether they’re planning to send the full report to your boss. It’s my understanding that they’re not meant to send it without your permission so after the first appointment I assumed it was coming to me. It didn’t come to me and every word I’d said was sent directly to my boss (who some of it was about) 😬 The second time she checked everything on it to see if it was okay to share with them. It can be really helpful to have the support of someone like her. They can fight your corner and put recommendations in place if there’s anything that can be altered to help you

I feel a bit unsure about whether I should just keep on trying to cope as I am. If I get worse then it would be good to know that work know why I'm anxious I suppose.

In some organisations, managers are required by policy to offer staff a referral to occ health - so most often it's not 'personal' as such, it's due process.
As others have said, occ health tend to be an incredibly supportive lot. I was in a similar situation to you with an ill parent, and staff support via occ health was a god send.

Ah, that's interesting that you say it's due process. I don't want to think my manager thinks I'm doing lots wrong or falling apart

Very interesting thread thank you
I have an occupational health call next week