To expect this employee to make appointments in her own time?

[Womanager]

Name changed for this.

I manage an employee with various long term health conditions. She works part time (mornings only), but it seems like every time she has a hospital appointment, she makes it in the mornings so she has to request time off work to attend. We have a policy regarding paid time off for appointments, but this women seems to be abusing it.

WIBU to ask her to make appointments in her own time?

That's bollocks, someone in the same specialty department must have some idea

Tell me about it. You know when you have a conversation that makes you doubt your own sanity?

The PALS woman eventually asked me to get my GP to write a letter stating why he disagrees with my appointment being moved from August to November (after she had already failed to find any contact details for the consultant). So I asked where the GP should send the letter to " oh, I don't know. I'm not based at the hospital. Phone her secretary and ask her". Aaahhhh!!!!

It complicated it because the hospital has 2 sites. I see the consultant at one site and some cardiology secretaries are there but other cardiology secretaries are on the other site and no one seems to even know which hospital this consultant is based at. One person in PALS even asked if I was sure that this person is an actual Dr there.

@decomposingcomposers

You could just try sending it to That’s what I did for my driving licence (for DVLA to contact and ask if there were any issues with my driving) and it must have worked because I got my licence back.

They denied that this could possibly happen - until they themselves tried.

I've had that happen a few times. The worst was an insistent denial that they never use pre-printed address labels. Ever. Never. It's never been heard of. No one had ever heard of them. No, Mr Rossetti, not just this trust. All trusts. Sorry, you must be mistaken. No, we do not. No we can't "keep" using them, as we never started. Yes, we've checked with the records and appointments teams. No we don't ... do I have to call security ?

Next appointment I found two sheets of pre-printed address labels in my records. Which would have been hilarious if it hadn't caused appointment letters to go to an old address, meaning I was removed from the waiting list three times, giving my condition a good chance to progress.

That was 17 years ago. I note with interest they are still using pre-printed labels. And denying it too, no doubt.

Rant over, as you were ...

I'd send multiple copies of the letter to each site as at least one will just end up on a pile not looked at especially if no one wants to take responsibility for this consultant.

What is your policy on sick leave, since that is what this would be covered by. Does your employee handbook state when hospital appointments should be made and if time off is allowed? Is the employee doing what they can to minimise the impact on you, your business and the other people you employ? Do you want to keep her?
Just a few things to consider

That's what I will do SnuggyBuggy and Womanager thanks for the suggestions.

The inability to call the appointment line still remains for everyone else though which makes it incredibly hard for other people to change appointments if their employer demands that they do.

Mind you, if my employer tells me to do that I will insist on doing it during works time so at least the hours on the phone will be paid!!

Fingers crossed Decomposing Composer

@DGRossetti were they at least your old address? I had one appointment where they weighed me as usual and noted my weight down (correctly, I watched them write it). When I saw the consultant he was quite concerned and wondering just how poorly I’d been and why hadn’t I contacted them, how long had it been going on?
Me: what do you mean?
Dr: well, you’ve lost a significant amount of weight since your last appointment.
Me: no I haven’t
Dr: yes, you have
Me: really, I haven’t, I’ve put weight on!
Dr: well it says here you were 75kg
Me: i’ve never weighed that much in my life, not even when I was pregnant! [I'm barely over 5ft tall]
Dr: so why is there a page in your records saying you were?
Me: 🤷‍♀️

It’s worrying just how many times that type of little mistake happens. A worse example is when a family member got blue lighted into hospital. After various tests the doctor told their DM that things weren’t looking good, a certain body part was so infected they couldn’t even see it on an x-ray. Everyone was really concerned till DM pointed out they’d had that body part removed previously.

Womanager

I had exactly the same with the weight - the HCA had transposed 2 digits at the previous visit, so had written 45kg rather than 54 kg. I hadn't seen what she'd written and clearly the Dr hadn't noticed that I'd lost 9kg since the last visit. On my next visit I had actually been unwell and lost weight and was now 50 kg but the Dr was insistent that I must be better as I'd put on 5 kg since my last visit.

They would not have it that 45kg was a mistake. It's like if it's written in the notes it must be true.

Hi, clearly your employer is both wrong and a twit. I manage lots of hospital appointments in a part time job, and my managers are lovely and accommodating about it. I think this is because it is easy for them to get cover for me though (unskilled, stress free job - which is why I stay there!)

Do you know about the Access to Work Scheme? It is a government scheme designed to help remove barriers that disabled people might have at work, and help employers make reasonable adjustments. They can also provide grants to cover equipment or practical support. It occurred to me that the scheme could possibly fund a supply member of staff to cover when you are away.

Best of luck, both with the treatments, and with managing your manager!

On closer examination, it was literally just a piece of paper with the date and 75kg on. I admit been seen on that date. It must have been from someone else’s clinic visit and who knows how it got put into my notes?!

@lyrebird1 I did know about access to work, but it hadn’t occurred to me that it could be used for cover. I will look into it, because I’ve been meaning to apply for one of my other conditions. It would make sense to go for a few things at the same time.

I still don't understand why you can't easily change to work in the afternoon? Surely reading to kids can be done any time?

@callmeadoctor

Firstly, where did you get the impression that all I do at work is read to kids?

Secondly (and I have already said this) after my treatments (which are the most frequent appointments I have) I am not capable of work due to feeling tired and dizzy.

I still don't understand why you can't easily change to work in the afternoon? Surely reading to kids can be done any time?

My sister is a TA. She takes small groups of children out of lessons to work with them on literacy and numeracy. She does this whilst the rest of the class is studying numeracy and literacy. So, if they do that in the morning that is when she is needed. They can't sit a group of children in the corner twiddling their thumbs while the rest of the class has a maths lesson and then, in the afternoon when the TA comes in, take the small group out to do maths while the rest of the class dies PE or art.

Maybe think of retirement with ill health then?

Sorry, assumed you were in a primary school "(I’m in a school so I do the literacy and maths in the mornings)"

Maybe think of retirement with ill health then?

And how do you suggest the OP manages for money ? This is AIBU, so pointing out you seem a bit dim and/or goady should be par for the course.

Ha Ha, another woman giving men a reason not to take us serious in the workplace.
Wtf do they do it. Go to work, do your job, don't treat it as anything else other than work. We may be taken seriously as equals then.

So many threads about women taking the piss at work atm. Feminism is being put back many years because of selfish fuckers.

DG thats not very kind. I thought teachers got very good retirement packages. Im sorry that you think Im dim and goady

How is being ill and needing treatment taking the piss? Are men never ill?

DG thats not very kind. I thought teachers got very good retirement packages.

It's no less unkind than wafting vague "can't you take early retirement" suggestions into a discussion without even a cursory check as to whether it's even possible, let alone practical, feasible, or what the OP wants.

And regardless of what retirement packages the OP may or may not have in place, they can't access them until the age of 55 anyway.

Frankly, all you have done here, is confirm the OPs problem that society generally shits from a great height on anyone who dares to be ill. With the terrible certainty that far from getting better, it's just getting worse. Certainly in the 23 years I have been caring for my DW.

Maybe think of retirement with ill health then?

Due you think any pension scheme is going to grant early retirement due to ill health because occasionally needs a day off for a hospital appointment or treatment.

@callmeadoctor so because I work in a school I ‘read to kids’ and that’s it. By that token, a doctor looks in ears and a police officer puts handcuffs on.

I’d love to retire with ill health, but I can’t see that happening for the next 30 years, especially as I’m not actually that old or that ill! Likewise, I don’t qualify for PIP (because I can do the things in their limited list) or ESA (because I’m not ill enough to not be able to work).

Thank you to those posters that get it.

@DecomposingComposers exactly, does callmeadoctor think that they are going to change the entire timetable for several classes of kids round, just so that I can have my children for maths and literacy one afternoon a month? It’s not like it’s even a regular day/time it would need to happen, off the top of my head my 5 appointments I have needed time off for this year have been on 3 different days of the week.