Lots of appointments during working hours

[OhDon]

I'm a bit nervous about this situation as I've been informed my work are 'clamping down' on absences including lots of appointments for dr's, dentist etc... During working hours. They have now started asking us to fill in forms every time we have to leave for an appointment (fine).

My problem is that I have a lot of appointments. I had a big issue with a pregnancy which triggered all sorts of things (lost the baby) and I now have to see the recurrent miscarriage clinic, genetics department and haematology department. The hospital I have to go to for these is about an hour and a half away because I have to use the large city centre one rather than our smaller local hospital due to the complexity.

In the past few months I've had to have around 5/6 appointments with these various departments and I have another two coming up next week.

I don't know what to do really. If I want a child I need to keep going to these appointments and work with the hospital to (hopefully) make that happen. At the same time I feel incredibly guilty that work is under a lot of strain and I keep having to be off.

AIBU to continue as I am doing? No one has specifically said anything to me but I'm just aware that I have a hell of a lot more appointments than other colleagues (and it probably won't be stopping in the very near future either).

My brain is all over the place at the minute with everything so I may be worrying about nothing but I can't stop thinking about it.

Have you directly discussed this with your HR? As these are ongoing appointments for a condition, surely they're in the best place to advise.

I'm a manager and if someone was off a half day to one day per week , for example, and it was not down as annual leave, I'd be concerned about the impact on the business. At the end of the day, I'm not sure that they're doing anything wrong by introducing this new policy but it may not apply to you as you have appointments for a condition.

I would just get on with it!
I had what felt like a zillion appointments during my pregnancy due to complications and also have a zillion appointments due to my health condition. There is not much I can do about it and I can’t easily change the appointment if it’s with the specialist. You don’t need to put your health or any future pregnancies at risk for a job. Keep them up to date with your appointments and any results you are comfortable sharing with them. If your comfortable with it you can always say they can have access to your medical records (specifically over this condition) if they want. I did the same with work and because I offered it out they have never wanted to see them.

Hope everything works out for you!

Just to add, you can (eventually) be dismissed for poor attendance even if you have a disability/pregnancy related illness - but your employer has to follow their own grievance process to the letter and treat you fairly throughout. You’re a long way away from that though! It would be best to speak to your manager/HR and discuss how to minimise your impact on business needs as you attend these appointments.

I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time OP.

Can I suggest you schedule a meeting with HR, take a list of your appts with you. Tell them you’re aware that they’re ‘clamping down’ on appointments during office hours and ask them how they would prefer you to handle your scheduled appointments. Talk to them and come to a compromise, they have a duty of care towards you.

Good luck

We have very flexible working, as it's my business I've set it to be as conducive to a fair and equitable partnership, but that many appointments I'd expect the hours to be made up (which is the norm anyway) or annual leave to be used.

Ok well let’s look at it like this.

I am a medical professional. You come to one of my clinics and just before your appointment I say “sorry, I’ve got to dash out for a few hours to a last minute appointment of my own. I’ll be back later.”

How would you react?! Wouldn’t you say “she should have her appointments in her own time!”
There’s no cover for a few hours. And I’m still being paid.

I’m pretty sure you’d all be pissed!

Is there any work you can do remotely whilst attending appointment/ waiting?

I work flex time and we get a max of one hour towards dr appointments, that's it. Even so, we are supposed to try and get them out of core working hours.

• You come to one of my clinics and just before your appointment I say “sorry, I’ve got to dash out for a few hours to a last minute appointment of my own. I’ll be back later.”

How would you react?! Wouldn’t you say “she should have her appointments in her own time!”
There’s no cover for a few hours. And I’m still being paid*

What if she was a pilot and two minutes before the plane was due to take off she shrieked 'I must go to the hospital' and ran off the plane. Small children are crying, 300 holidays are ruined.

We could make up ludicrous hypotheticals all day. Or, you could go and put something nice into the world rather than sitting online being a dick to someone who is going through an extremely difficult time.

While I really doubt that you're a medical professional, if you are, I hope you extend your patients a bit more fucking empathy than this.

Zebraaa just be quiet! You are a complete idiot spouting your rubbish.

The Op is a human being and the NHS isn't designed to pick and choose your appointments.

The very fact the Op is under haematology suggests there's something greater going on with a possible risk to life.

I am a medical professional. You come to one of my clinics and just before your appointment I say “sorry, I’ve got to dash out for a few hours to a last minute appointment of my own. I’ll be back later.”

No, you would use the advance notice you have for situations like these to block out time free of your own appointments to enable you to attend, if it was important. Or, if as a "medical professional" you feel so strongly, how about putting forward a case to schedule some appointments outside of 9-5 hours so people like the OP can attend and you can spend your day "dashing out" at the last minute to your heart's content.

OP, as a manager all I want is open and honest communication. if your manager is aware of the situation and is sympathetic to it don't worry. Just keep evidence of your appointments.

Zebraa- how ignorant! I work in the NHS and Dr’s would actually work with each other to cover such events- you know like nice people would. You must have a shitty life if you think everyone is out to skive off for a few hours. Should the OP just give up any chance of kids just cos at this point her appointments are affecting her work?
Carry on OP and yes just have a word with your boss or HR so they know you’re doing all you can to minimise disruption.

OP- call your HR and speak to them about your situation. They will tell you based on your employment contract what to do.
My DH is an immigrant and had similar question about his biometrics appointment for his visa renewal. He was about to book a holiday for it, but HR told him he could just attend as part of his work day.
Your HR will be able to help you and also back you up if your boss is unsure.

Zebraaa where has OP said she is dashing out at short notice?

I see a consultant for a serious medical issue every 2 weeks. She is away for one of my usual appointments, so I'm seeing a different doctor. That's fine?

A workplace should not be run with so little slack that any employee illness cannot be accommodated - it would simply go under as soon as it had a pregnant employee and had no choice but to allow them time for appointments.

No one is suggesting that clients, or colleagues etc should solely bear the burden here. The employer should. This is part of the risk/reward of being the business owner - they generally get the lions share of business profits but have to bear the losses too.

OP, I had lots of appointments during several years of infertility and I did not consider my workplace.

Your priority should be you and your family. A job is just a job. The place could close down tomorrow and they wouldn't worry about you.

Imagine how disappointed you would be in 10 years time if you didn't have a baby because you didn't want to annoy your current management.

You must be under enough stress with your medical problems. Your workplace have a policy, let them worry about sticking to it. You have offered unpaid leave, it's up to them to take it out of your wages.

Just ride it out and go to your appointments. Explain why they are important to your manager. Provide copies of appointment letters so they will know you’re genuine.
Companies go through phases where they “clamp down” on something like sick leave or appointments in work time, then six months later everything’s back to normal. It will pass!
Sorry for your loss, hope you get the answers you need

I don't just tell work 'oh by the way I've got to go in 10 minutes'

These are appointments that are booked in advance (well allocated rather than booked) and I inform work of the dates and times as soon as I know (often weeks in advance) so they can cover if necessary.

Anything pre or post antenatal you are protected for. Dont let them make you feel this way.

Carry on, and good luck!

Wtaf zebraa.. Op ignore that insanity.
I had recurrent losses and similar appointments. Luckily my hospital is more local, but you can't pick appointment times. I told my boss why and did them in work time as permitted by our HR policy.

I would have a discussion with your manager and potentially with HR. As with lots of things, a discussion is usually a good start. It may be that someone else is taking the mick with lots of appointments that could be scheduled differently, so the memo has gone out to everyone, but isn't targeting you IYSWIM.

Personally, I've made up the time by coming in early or staying late, or using annual leave. Our appointments duration is given freely but not the travelling time so it is worth knowing exactly what your workplace offers.

I too would have a discussion with your manager. I’d have no problem at all agreeing to you attending the appointments.
I have a problem if people lie about appointments but not for something like this.

I really sympathise with you. I have an immune condition for which I have to attend three clinics and physio. They tell you when your appointments are and will not move them or schedule according to your preference and you are only allowed to ask to rearrange an appointment twice or they kick you out of the clinic. It is a nightmare, especially as clinics often overrun and you can be there for hours waiting.

There isn't much you can do really. Maybe have a chat with your line manager or HR and see what they suggest.

@Zebraaa

I can quite honestly say that I wouldn't want to be a patient in your clinic, given you have the empathy of a footstool.

OP, you do need to try and offer up a compromise though.

• WFH and make up the hours you miss the same day
• Overtime in office to make up hours missed on different days
• Formally agree to take make it unpaid leave
• Annual leave

I have a disabled baby and although I now work part time, I have no control over the hospital appointments (thankfully the are only every few months now!). I do have flexibility in that I can swap my days but due to having older kids and family providing childcare I cant always shuffle my work days and usually I offer to make the time up by WFH and logging on early / staying late. Out hospital appt average 3 hours with travel so I log on at 8.30am as opposed to 9.30am and log off at 7pm as opposed to 5pm.

I think this is really a case of your employer saying “so-called appointments are giving us a productivity problem.”
All you need to say is “I have solutions to that.” Make the time up, try to schedule them early/late to minimise disruption, offer to work from home, if that’s an option. Offer to do overtime when needed, generally show flexibility, as they have been showing you.

My take on “unpaid leave” is that it doesn’t help the productivity question and actually creates more work for your employers - payroll adjusting/sorting, finding cover, paying temps, etc.

Just demonstrate a willingness to go above and beyond in other areas, and be good at your job. They won’t care about a few days off for appointments in the long run.

I work for the NHS and am expected to go to all medical appointments in my own time, whether that's flexi, annual leave or whatever. Yes, even for potentially serious illness e.g. investigating abnormal cells after a smear etc.

I'm not saying it's right but that's what our policy says.