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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To lie and say I’m ill?

90 replies

WouldYouLieOrNot · 31/12/2021 12:05

My work has no flexibility at all. If you need an appointment for something and it’s only available in working hours you just get told no.

I have been offered a medical appointment on a week day at a time I’d normally be in work. Considering just lying and saying I’m ill. Wondered what others would do.

OP posts:
LostForIdeas · 31/12/2021 14:33

I knew you would be teaching!
I know quite a few teachers and yes taking time off for an appointment is like pulling teeth out.

Just at the moment, saying that you should take an appointment at the end of the day is piss taking tbh. In most surgeries, you can’t get an appointment for weeks, let alone being able to chose your time!
Plus really they dint want you to miss said appointment if it means that you are taking the risk of being more seriously ill if you don’t go,

It’s so counter productive all around.

So yes, I’d say you are ill and go. No hesitation.

LostForIdeas · 31/12/2021 14:36

@WouldYouLieOrNot

Ultimately, heads hold a lot of power in schools. If you look through the TRA there are some cases of corrupt headteachers - this one is notable, if you read the actual case hearing, she had been bullying staff for years.

Heads can refuse or write a bad reference and in effect end a career. It takes years if at all for it to come out. That case only was heard because of exam corruption, not bullying of staff, and note her deputy and two other teachers were found guilty of misconduct, although they weren’t prohibited from teaching.

I don’t think my head is a bully but rigidity adheres to rules and procedures and won’t listen to any explanation.

Yep.

A good friend of mine is a teacher and had a HT like that. She wanted to move school and the HT made extremely difficult, including write bad references about her once she had passed the interviews etc…
Thanksfully the new HT didn’t take it into account and she is now nicely settled into a new school. Another if her colleagues wasn’t as lucky and was forced to stay in that school because she just couldn’t move anywhere else!!

BluebellsGreenbells · 31/12/2021 14:37

Teachers are allowed to take time out for medical appointments and their childrens - they make the time up

Swap PPA for example

Bit we have staff to cover

Original poster
WouldYouLieOrNot · 31/12/2021 14:38

No, you’re not Bluebells

We have to contractually be in school for PPA. We can’t just wander off.

OP posts:
liveforsummer · 31/12/2021 14:42

Sorry I missed that you already had the appointment time and can't change it. Insane with that timing that the answer will be no but it leaves you with no choice.

Skeumorph · 31/12/2021 14:53

@WouldYouLieOrNot

It’s the waiting months I’m worried about, tbh.
If it's something that you are worried about, or worried will deteriorate/become something worse, then yes absolutely I would just cut through the shit, say you're ill and get the appointment done with. Your health really, really IS more important than this kind of jobsworth crap.

Head is clearly her own worst enemy here!

itsgettingweird · 31/12/2021 14:58

Thing is this will get harder.

I waited 6 months for an emergency apt that was meant to be within 3 months.

I got the apt half term purely because that's when they offered it.

If I couldn't take that one the next one was 9 weeks after that. (During school day).

The problems with teachers being refused medical apts during school time is that they are likely not to receive the treatment they need and could then end up off long term sick.

I've seen it time and time again in my school.

WonderfulYou · 31/12/2021 15:01

Definitely call in sick!!

Most schools won’t let you have time off for an appointment and they’re extremely strict with time off for funerals.
Ignore posters who say the opposite even though they’re not a teacher themselves.

In normal circumstances it’s difficult getting time off but because there are so many staff and cover staff off at the minute due to covid, they’ll almost definitely say no.

The only thing I’d be careful of is if you’re seen.

My family member had time off due to illness and had to have an emergency scan in a hospital and was spotted going into the hospital and was given disciplinary action for it.
She handed in her notice over it.
This was about 15 years ago and I’d have kicked off about it if it was me but it has always stuck with me.

Wearegoingtoneedabiggerboat · 31/12/2021 15:05

So let me get this straight so if you found a breast lump for example and the only available appointment they had was during the teaching day, they would say no. That’s absolutely criminal.
I have never heard of any profession that would do this and think it’s okay.

AnxiousHeffalump · 31/12/2021 15:11

@Wearegoingtoneedabiggerboat I’ve been there, and yes, I had to wait for an appointment in the next half term break.

thenewduchessoflapland · 31/12/2021 15:15

Are you a member of a union?

seven201 · 31/12/2021 15:15

Wow. What's the union guidance for this? At my school we're allowed to go to hospital appointments but wouldn't be able to make a routine gp or dentist appt during the school day, which is fair enough, but tricky. Is it a hospital one? They're just near impossible to arrange so you have to take what you're given. If you have a staff well-being committee you could ask for it be reviewed.

drivingmeknuts · 31/12/2021 15:20

Yeah I'm a teacher and anyone in our school needs to attend an appointment a TA or the headteacher themselves would cover. There's ways around it!!

Musmerian · 31/12/2021 15:21

@Cherrysoup

I can request leave of absence for medical appointments as a teacher. I doubt you’d be refused if you say you have an appointment.
Me too. School would never dream of refusing a request like this.
pink1173 · 31/12/2021 15:26

@AnxiousHeffalump- that is unbelievable. I cannot get over this and would simply not have done it. They could throw the book at me if they wanted- your health is so much more important. I hope you are ok now and all checked out ok.

I am a teacher and I thank my lucky stars I have never had this. But I would kick up a right stink and would take the appointment- you only have one life.

AnxiousHeffalump · 31/12/2021 15:28

Everything turned out to be fine, but it added to the list of reasons to leave.

Hankunamatata · 31/12/2021 15:30

If it's a hospital appointment, give them a ring. We are often pushing appointments around at moment as so many covid cancellations, fitting people in etc. They may be able to see you later. Sorry your works so uncooperative

Lucifersleeps · 31/12/2021 15:38

My current gp has 2 options. An appointment in a month or two. Or one today if you call at 8am.. it’s very very difficult to see a doctor if you’re a teacher and your school is awkward about appointments.

The school says you can go before 8.30 and after 4pm.. plenty of time to organise appointments in.

The GP says (quite rightly) that is it’s urgent you’ll come today at whatever time slot we offer otherwise it’s clearly not urgent.
School goes ‘we have to find cover 30 min before school starts. Aargh’

My school are generally ok about it but in these covid times staffing is insanely short anyway and while they’d probably let me go, it’s definitely grudgingly.

DeclareThePenniesOnYourEyes · 31/12/2021 15:42

Teacher? I’ve been in the same boat. Just say you’re ill, it’s ridiculous that you’re being forced to take a whole day for something that you’d probably only miss a couple of hours for if they weren’t so rigid, but that their fault not yours.

As PP said, medical appointment implies there’s an illness of some type that needs treating, so it’s not entirely a lie. Not like you’re off on a jolly.

Eskarina1 · 31/12/2021 15:48

It may depend on why you need the appointment and whether it could be classes as a disability (long term, impacts on daily living if not treated). If so, they might be required to make a reasonable adjustment

OnwardsAndSideways1 · 31/12/2021 15:50

If I had an urgent or life-changing (say hip replacement, breast lump) appointment, I would just go off sick. Sorry, but your employer isn't going to treasure you if you get sicker with unprompt treatment, I would absolutely put myself first, and children as well. My work is normal and reasonable though, seemingly not for many teachers!

lanthanum · 31/12/2021 15:54

@WouldYouLieOrNot

I’m not saying they couldn’t cover it, just that they won’t give me the time off. Appointment is at 315, it will take me maybe 40 mins to get there from school, school finishes at 3 so I only need the last half hour of my last lesson covered.

However, I know the answer will be No.

I sincerely hope that you'll turn out to be wrong. So many heads are reasonable; it's a shame that some seem to have no heart or even common sense.

I presume you've tried contacting the clinic to see if they could shuffle you to a later appointment the same day?

I'd try putting it in an email, saying you appreciate that ideally all medical appointments should be in the holidays, but what with covid and so on it could be months before you are able to get an appointment completely out of school time. If you can say you've already contacted the clinic to ask if your appointment can be moved any later, that might help too. And if there's any danger that a delay in being seen could result in you being ill and having to take time off, point that out too. If it's very much a one-off appointment, that's also worth mentioning - they wouldn't be setting a precedent for a whole series of appointments.

If you are able to suggest how it might be covered (eg if you have a colleague with non-contact time that lesson who would be willing to help you out), do.

I'm so glad I always worked for sensible heads. I had a whole series of appointments at 8am on the day I was free first lesson - my registration needed covering, but they were just glad I'd been able to get a slot that was minimally disruptive.

BarstewardofNorthstead · 31/12/2021 15:54

What a nightmare situation. Is it worth phoning the consultant's secretary to see if you could be moved to the last appointment of the day? I used to arrange appointments for a consultant and if people in your position called I would do my best to get the appointment rearranged for a convenient time towards the end of clinic. It's not guaranteed to help, but it might be worth a call

SmolCat · 31/12/2021 15:59

No school I’ve ever worked at has ever refused time off for an appointment. It’s incredibly strongly discouraged though.

Once I hurt my eye in the AM but it was an important day for my class so I really couldn’t easily leave. I taught all day with it getting worse and worse. When the bell rang for the children’s hometime I walked straight to A&E where I found out I had a scratch across my cornea.

I still got flack for missing staff meeting after school that day.

ilovesooty · 31/12/2021 16:01

@thenewduchessoflapland

Are you a member of a union?
Even if you are, the union websites confirm that you don't have a statutory right to time off.
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