NHS absence policy… fucked it

[Bloodyflu]

I’m a nurse working in the nhs. For years I’ve had a good attendance record. Then I had a baby, and as they started going to nursery last year I started getting infections left right and centre.

in the last year I’ve had:
2 bouts of pneumonia
tonsillitis (which turned into quinsy)

i worked through the tonsillitis until it turned to quinsy and I had to go to hospital (luckily during annual leave so not part of my absence record)

I’ve now been struck with this bloody flu that’s going around. I’m vomiting, not sleeping, unable to move, coughing up brown phlegm and haven’t eaten for 2 days. Temp at 39.2. Was seeing little lizards on the walls last night because of fever.

I’ll have to call in sick to work, which will put me on a stage 1 trigger for absence.

i find this really anxiety inducing. Of course I know it’s needed to maintain attendance at work, but with verifiable illness (and consultations with doctors) should we really be putting people on absence warnings? There’s not much I can do about having these illnesses, but now for the next year I’ll be on pins thinking I could lose my job if I’m unlucky enough to get ill again

It’s quite possible they will ask you whether you had the flu vaccine, but I’d agree Stage 1 isn’t something to worry about.

Stage 1 isn't a big deal, I wouldn't worry about it much

DOI senior matron in NHS

So the thing to remember about public sector sick policies are u might be on a stage for a week off or a few months off (how ever many you get full pay for) so given you are just a number go off for as long as you can. Also make a point of saying the sicknesses are related. It’s highly unlikely that you will lose your job the nhs is on its knees

You dont get sacked for stage 1!!!! I've been up to 4 before. Make sure you join unison that's very important. RCN unions are rubbish. Unison has a huge legal department and they know what they are doing.
I've just been off for a year and a half having orthopaedic surgery and I haven't been sacked. Im back at work. They can't just sack you for genuine sickness.9

Do you know anyone who has lost their job over this OP?
I also work for the NHS and had 3 periods of absence in a year in similar circumstances (young child at nursery passing me everything going). I had to have a stage 1 meeting but my boss was completely supportive and wrote on the official paperwork that all absences were unavoidable with no factors that required further support or investigation. I then became too unwell to work again 6 months later and this was met with the same response. I was also given the strong impression that even if concerns were escalated this would still not mean something big bad and terrible, just a case of me being on some list for monitoring of my absences.

I get that your role and manager might operate differently, but given the shortage of nurses in many areas and the importance of your work, I'd be so surprised if your Trust could afford to lose you - assuming that you are otherwise a decent worker without other types of red flag against your name, as I'm sure would be the case!

In any case, giving you a handhold. It's rubbish to be ill and to be under this stress.

Was the pneumonia in quick succession?

It's a work policy a standard procedure in most work places...just go in and explain they should understand it's beyond your control.
In the meantime take good supplements to strengthen your immune system. Drink chicken broth or meat broth ...up your vitamins and minerals. Try green juice and drink hot lemon and ginger teas with honey.

My manager tried to give me a stage 1 warning.
.. but as she hadn't followed the Trust policy in relation to sickness absence... the meeting ground to a halt.

According to my union rep who was with me for support, HR ...who was her support were NOT happy with her.

Check they have followed the policy...

The law says you should be allowed to take leave unpaid - but you can only have the time taken to sort out further care

you aren’t sick

I was sick. I'm not divulging the circumstances but I was signed off by my GP and I had asked to take further leave as unpaid leave to not impact my sick record. HR said no because it was appropriate for me to take sick leave.

I was trying to reassure the OP that genuine sickness or unfitness for work is accepted by the NHS.

OMG Don’t even worry about it. I am band 7 in a small team and everyone’s on a stage 1. My matron is terribly loose lipped and tells me everyone in the unit is on a stage 1 or 2. At this point it’s almost optional to come to work.

There will be so many piss takers and people giving management serious grief you won’t even be on the radar. I might have even triggered stage 1 myself but everything is in such disarray I doubt anyone will discuss it with me and it will time out.

Don't worry, my dp has chronic health condition and hits the absence trigger almost every year. His department have a recruitment problem so it's never going to actually affect his job. I imagine as a nurse you'll be absolutely fine. They just have to follow the procedure and do the awkward back to work meeting.

A few years ago we had a run on shitty times within a few months illness, then his dad died, then we lost a baby and then a close family member had life threatening illness and was intensive care while we took their small children on. So his sick record was not good. At his back to work meeting after his dad's death they asked 'how will you prevent this happening again?' and they couldn't write his response on the form!

You can’t possibly do your job with flu. You’re a nurse ffs and there’s a flu epidemic! Did your Trust not learn anything from the pandemic?

Please don’t worry.
I have been a nurse / nurse practitioner in emergency & urgent care for about 24yrs. Stage one is nothing more than a chat and “monitoring your sickness” which they do anyway.
This time of year, in A&E, especially with a child in nursery I’d be more surprised if you weren’t on stage one.
Relax. Get better.

Hi op as pp have said, stage 1 is supportive & absolutely nothing to be worried about. Please don’t use your annual leave, from sounds of it you will have full pay for six months sick, rest & look after yourself. You have a tough job, you need to be well to do it. I’m guessing as a nurse you are with the RCN use your rep who will also be able to reassure you. I would put money on it lots of your colleagues are on stage 1. There is a long road & lots of process before anyone even mentions losing your job so please try not to worry. It may help you to read your trust sickness policy.

I hope you take the time you need & feel better soon xx

With the run of bugs this winter - if you're NOT on stage 1 you're in the minority! It's like plague central in most of our meetings and offices.

It's a chat... can we do anything to support you... you better now... form - that's it.

Im currently having an infusion for MS and having to use annual leave as can’t have it as sick. I wouldn’t worry too much about staging. It’s not your fault if you are ill.

Are you an NHS employee? Doesn't your MS cross the line into a disability in the protected characteristic sense? If you're NHS talk to a senior union rep and see if they can support you in this.

Don’t worry too much.

I don’t work for the NHS anymore but when I did I was on a stage 3 at one point. My colleague was on a stage 3 and went off sick a couple more times and she still works on the same ward.

Different trusts will likely handle sickness differently but really try not to worry about this.

What?! Using annual leave to cover sick leave in the NHS???
I've been in the NHS over 10 years now (AHP, not on wards or anything) and sick leave is exactly what it is, time off for when you're sick! Annual leave is when you choose to take your time off and yours to use as you please.