Reasonable adjustments: return to work after long term sickness

[LeukaeLucky]

Posted on the staffroom but no response yet so posting for traffic.
a few month before finding out I had cancer I started a new teaching job with T&L responsibilities. On paper, all perfect, 4 days a week, walking distance and dream role except that my role has never be clearly defined nor timetabled so I ended up just teaching.
I'm better now but not sure if ready to go back to work physically just yet. I just got 2 serious episodes of health issues and feel still quite weak.
I've also lost my hearing on one side and started wearing an aid but can't feel a difference.
So my question is what could I expect in terms of adjustments and return to work. I'd like to ideally to be less in the classroom and have smaller groups due to partial deafness but not sure how it could work.
Any advice would be much appreciated
Thanks

And also how do I "sell it" to my school
Can they refuse to adapt the role and force me to resign?

Glad to hear things are pn the up and you're getting better. Is it LA or Academy? It is reasonable and fair to ask at either. I'm at a LA school and people who have been oj medium to long term sick negotiate a phased return, sometime with the help of their Union rep. Often it is just mornings, or just afternoons. Depending on the illness some have had alterations to the timetable but this can be harder to organise. I'm sure they will try and accomodate you but i work in a very suppprtive school, I'm hoping you do too.

@Chosennone thanks
It's an academy but they follow the burgundy book in principle.
I'm not sure how supportive they will be. I didn't work much for them before becoming ill. But they have sent me letters through my time at hospital with kind words
I'm so nervous especially because of the partial deafness

They do have a duty of care though. Do you have a union rep? Can you get a doctors note that outlines and suggestions, reasonable adjustments they could make?

I would definitely talk this through with your union prior to going to the school - which one are you in?

They will be able to talk you through what is reasonable so you at least feel you have all the information.

I think partial hearing loss counts as a disability, so your school will probably have to make adjustments in order to not be discriminatory- however “smaller groups” may not be practical. Again, your union will be able to advise exactly how much either side has to move.

Best of luck- remember that thinking about going back is always, always worse than actually being there.

I would ask your specialist or GP for a referral to an occupational therapist. There will be one attached to the hospital you attended. They will evaluate you/your place of work and then provide an assessment and written report suggesting to your employer what the reasonable adjustments could be.

The first question you need to ask is “is this adjustment permanent?” If it’s not then smaller classes etc would be seen as a reasonable adjustment. If it is permanent then the organisation can look to redeploy you in some circumstances. For example if the smaller classes impacts the schools ability to deliver classes.

Either way your best bet is to speak to the head and see what they can help you with. Many employers go above and beyond what’s ‘reasonable’ to help valued staff members.

I don't even think we have a union rep. I'll need to check.
Re: valuable staff member they haven't seen enough of me to perceive me as such. I feel like I've been mostly a burden. 5 months in and getting seriously sick and not much track record to prove myself worthy.
Re: permanent adjustment my hearing loss is quite profound and even with the aid I struggle to hear even in a quiet environment so in a classroom full of teenagers...
I will ask my consultant re: suggestion and OT
Thanks a lot

If you don't have a union rep at the school then contact the local branch officers of your Union and they will be able to offer you someone local from the union to assess the situation, offer support etc. If you are not sure how to contact them call your union head office.

Good luck, I hope your health improves and that your return to work helps you move on with the next stage of your life.

"prove myself worthy" Nonsense, they appointed you to a position with t and l responsibilities, so they must have seen something in your previous experience and interview that they wanted! You have nothing to prove, you just need to get your teaching mojo back on track. You have spent a long time being faced with serious illness, dealing with situations that were alien, being the one who is in the learner position rather than the one in charge, it's not surprising you are feeling anxious and a bit inadequate at the thought of taking control of your life again.

I think you are living through of those awful back to school nightmares* that lots of teachers get in late August, you know, the ones where you are in the classroom and are not even sure what colour pen to mark the register in.......... You will be fine, just take it one step at a time, ease yourself back in , you might be a teacher who has had cancer, but you are an experienced , competent, valued teacher who has had cancer, you have years of experience to draw on, and it is all still in there somewhere.

• my worst back to school dream was the one where I was being shown around a new classroom where all the furniture was pushed to the walls because of a huge hole in the floor that showed the classroom downstairs, "I'm worried it's a health and safety issue" I said, "oh no," said the head, " the children were in this class last year, they know to walk round" .......

@viques omg your dream sorry I laughed a bit. Thank you for your kind words. I did prove myself in the past. I had really good results in my previous schools and delivered cpds in local schools and universities. I also trained nqt and pgces successfully.
I haven't lost my mojo. I still read and do online courses on teaching but I've definitely lost my confidence and feel utterly scared and anxious

Occupational health is different to occupational therapy. Your employer should be able to refer you to occupational health. This would get you and them an assessment from a specialist about your fitness for work and the adjustments that would help you return. I’d see that process as your chance to negotiate adjustments.

@TestingTestingWonTooFree thanks for the clarification.
I misread. I'll ask my school about it.

definitely lost my confidence and feel utterly scared and anxious

As part of your return to work I would perhaps request a couple of immersion days - where you can go in and observe a few classes, get you head around hearing in a different way. I think you’ll surprise yourself at how much you’ll want to get on with it!!

You're right @SmileEachDay and actually my los' school asked me to volunteer there and I felt really excited at the idea of being back helping children. I haven't been yet but I did feel that rush of excitement

Some occupational therapists help people whose ability to function at work has been affected by illness or disability. They may do this by assessing the client’s needs and the work environment in order to collaborate with the client and the employer to make appropriate modifications to the work environment.

rcotss-ip.org.uk/what-is-occupational-therapy

I'm a bursar in a secondary school. In your circumstances I would ask for a OH report to be done so we knew how best to support your return to work - ours are done through a 3rd party firm (LA maintained school)
I would speak to your bursar (or whoever handles the HR stuff at school) They should be well aware that a cancer diagnosis automatically counts as a disability and they need to make whatever reasonable adjustments are necessary.

Thanks a lot @BetsyBetsyBoop and @MissUGirl

Hi, as well as the above advice, Access to Work is a government scheme that can provide grants to cover the cost to your employer of any adjustments you might need. That could be equipment or services such as personal assistants etc.

They will do a pretty comprehensive assessment of your needs, and whether your employer can meet them, although it is always good to have a conversation with your boss first. Good luck - you sound so dedicated and full of enthusiasm that I am sure they will be thrilled to have you back!

www.gov.uk/access-to-work - you can apply online

Thanks @lyrebird1
I hadn't heard of that scheme
Good to know