To be completely panicking after my chat with occupational health!!!

[LookAtMee]

Hi all, I hope it’s okay to post here.

I have just started a new job as a teaching assistant after many years being a SAHM.

I had a call scheduled today with Occupational Health off the back of one of the forms I completed in the welcome pack.

The lady on the phone was so horrible and abrupt and has told me she needs to feedback everything I’ve said to the school.

One of the conditions I disclosed was that I suffer from anxiety. I explained that I first experienced anxiety after the birth of one of my children. She asked when I was diagnosed. I said 2019. She asked when I had my child who triggered the anxiety and I told her it was in 2016. She then proceeded to tell me that couldn’t be what caused my anxiety because it happened 3 years earlier and asked me to tell her what the trigger was. I explained again that it was the birth of my child in 2016 and that I went to the GP who suggested mindfulness. She then said, “well that means you were diagnosed in 2016, not 2019 so which is it?” I explained that I did mindfulness on and off for 3 years and then felt that I needed something more, to help keep my anxiety at bay. That’s when I went to the GP and they did an assessment with me and said I had moderate anxiety. She said that if I went to the GP about it in 2016 then that’s when I was diagnosed! I explained to her that I also attend counselling which I pay for privately and have done for the last few months. She kept going on about me needing to tell her the trigger for this and wouldn’t listen that it all started after my DD was born. She was adamant this couldn’t be the case if I didn’t take medication until 2019 and start counselling until this year.

She said she needs to go and phone the school and pass all of this information on.

I am now worrying that this is all going to get me into some sort of bother with my new employer. I just feel quite shaken up after the way I was treated and am now sitting, worrying what’s going to happen when I go into work tomorrow

Any advice much appreciated.

Sorry for bumping so soon. I’m just feeling really upset about this and I’m hoping someone on here can give me some advice/reassure me?

She sounds batshit. Just because she's OH doesn't mean she's really informed on MH either. I've had to explain the difference between triggers & symptoms to my relatives designated MH Nurse on their ward! (Gobsmacked was not he word,,my face must have been
a picture).Ifyone asks you , laugh, say you have mild anxiety & OH are a bit OTT aren't they. No need to go into private issues that arent affecting your work.

I don’t specifically have advice but wanted to help boost this for you. I’m a teacher and I had an awful anxiety episode earlier this year. Mine was work related but I’d also been struggling in the 18 months since my daughter’s birth and lost what I know recognise to have been my normal coping mechanisms. Hope you’re ok. She sounds like she went a bit overboard.

People who know more about it all will be along, but for now I think you might need to to be ready with : 'Oh dear OH person did seen to be struggling with the difference between a suggested condition(2016) and actual formal diagnosis' (2019) and imply heavily that you were as patient as you could be with their difficulty.

I would complain. Plenty of school staff have had mental health issues. In the vast majority of cases it isn’t considered a barrier. I’m sorry you experienced that.

She sounds like a nurse or a HCA, not unusual in OC; I hope you have her name. People like her have forms to fill in and just tick boxes.

You have explained your position very well and, if necessary, can do so again to someone more appropriate. Keep it all on file.

You are far from alone; teaching in itself is a stressful occupation but your problems with anxiety will not necessarily affect your work performance.

@Yoloyohol

People who know more about it all will be along, but for now I think you might need to to be ready with : 'Oh dear OH person did seen to be struggling with the difference between a suggested condition(2016) and actual formal diagnosis' (2019) and imply heavily that you were as patient as you could be with their difficulty.

Yes, this sounds like a plan.

Good luck

She sounds very inexperienced with Mental Health. I wouldn’t worry, it shouldn’t affect your job.

Thanks so much for the replies everyone. I really didn’t expect to be treated that way.

Could I lose my job over this?

Not a great way to handle someone who has anxiety!
I hope your new job helps you to feel a bit better about things.

@LookAtMee

Thanks so much for the replies everyone. I really didn’t expect to be treated that way.

Could I lose my job over this?

I really very much doubt it. You've been entirely honest, and when I worked in education (HE) the majority of us were stressed and anxious to extent that workplace counselling was available.

You get unpleasant people in all walks of life including in areas that are supposed to be supportive. or at least working for both 'sides'.
My understanding (from friends) is that OH aren't required to have medical training /knowledge per say but often come from fields that have some health knowledge.

Which makes me wonder if she works for ATOS/CAPITA on the side and is used to browbeating people with health issues and trying to trip them up, and forgot which hat she was supposed to be wearing?

Whatever s going on I doubt she's supposed to treat you like that!
I could be wrong but basic recent experience of schools desperately hiring, is it will take some time for information to filter through so I wouldn't worry too much about walking in tomorrow and having to deal with it there and then. Just have your answer up your sleeve and don't let her take the shine of your new job. Congratulations BTW!

When you had the appointment set up with OH, wasn't there an agreement about confidentiality? Due to a disability I have appts from time to time with my work's OH and the Dr writes a report at the end, which is sent to me first for review. When there's been a factual error I've been able to ask for it to be changed before being sent.

I highly doubt you could lose your job. Why would you? Are you thinking they won't want you because silly britches has tried to re-diagnose the cause/on-set of your condition?

You've disclosed correctly. She doesn't have the right to start second guessing your Dr.

She may be asking you what the trigger to your anxiety is, in case it is something in relation to children or their behaviours, given that you have children at home and have only been diagnosed after they were born? However she is completely out of order in the way she has treated you.

I am sure that if there is any issue they will contact your GP who should be able to write a report to keep them happy.

It shouldn't have any impact on your job as that would likely be due to disability discrimination which is covered under the equality act 2010.

She sounds awful but she will have been form filling and wanting to know what box to tick for how long you've had the condition. If it's mentioned I'd feedback how bad the experience was and why so the employer has both sides. I wouldn't mention it just now if they don't though, as you don't have a relationship with you and so it's one person's word over another.

I have children at the school so today at pick up, I had a quick chat with the deputy head and explained to her what had happened. She was really lovely about it and said it’s absolutely nothing to worry about and she was really sorry to hear the experience I had had.

Thanks so much for the reassurance everyone.

I’ve thought about complaining about the lady I spoke to but I will let this one go in case she was just having a bad day.

I’m just relieved that there won’t be any repercussion for me with the school. Thanks everyone.

I was sent occupational health when I was diagnosed with arthritis in my collarbone. She looked in her book declared there was only shoulder in there not collarbone, said it was the same thing anyway and proceeded to tell work what I could and couldn't do. I do a manual job which she nearly lost me. I refused to sign her findings and saw hr myself.

Pleased you got sorted out.

She's trying to fill in her forms. It's not your fault that their assessment wasn't able to distinguish between onset of problem and diagnosis.

@Pollaidh

When you had the appointment set up with OH, wasn't there an agreement about confidentiality? Due to a disability I have appts from time to time with my work's OH and the Dr writes a report at the end, which is sent to me first for review. When there's been a factual error I've been able to ask for it to be changed before being sent.

This is how it works at my job too. OccHealth write a report which you see first and are allowed to ask for edits and amendments. It's also supposed be carried out by a qualified professional. Do you have details of her role and the process?

Glad to hear your update. Enjoy your new job!

Well, for a start she isn't allowed to disclose anything to anyone without your explicit consent, so 'I'll have to ring them and tell them all of this...' is either a flat out lie, bullying or both.

I actually would put in a formal complaint. She mishandled her role so much that you were genuinely worried about having lost your new role because of it, and have now had to go and talk to your new employer for reassurance, possibly having to reveal much more sensitive information than you otherwise would have done.

There's nothing about that that's okay, and it needs addressing.

@jessstan1

She sounds like a nurse or a HCA, not unusual in OC; I hope you have her name. People like her have forms to fill in and just tick boxes.

You have explained your position very well and, if necessary, can do so again to someone more appropriate. Keep it all on file.

You are far from alone; teaching in itself is a stressful occupation but your problems with anxiety will not necessarily affect your work performance.

Curious to know what a ‘nurse or HCA’ sounds like and what you could possibly mean by ‘people like her’

People who have some medical training but are not doctors and are employed to ask certain questions, fill in forms and tick boxes.

I would make a complaint. This could be happening to other people as well, it needs to stop.

I don't know who you would complain to as I don't live in the UK so I'm not sure how it all works, but I would find out who this person reports into and perhaps start there.