Doctors don't understand how difficult it is for me to see them.

[YourSparklyLimeTraybake]

I work in leadership in a school. My direct boss is off sick long term and I am acting up. The next person in the line of succession is also not well and in and out sporadically. There isn't anyone else that can step in to cover, even if it's just for a short period of time. My school is very challenging.

I am incredibly stressed, working 7am til 7pm most days just to keep afloat. They don't take online bookings unless you're a Uni student, I am on duty at break and lunchtime, so can't call during the day.

I need a blood test and it's overdue. They now won't prescribe one of my medications until I get tested and then a separate appointment to be reviewed. I've tried to arrange both three times, and each time something has happened so I can't go, which means the second review appointment gets cancelled too, then I have to try to figure out how to find time to make the appointments again.

I don't know what else I can do and now I've run out of medication.

This was me in a highly stressful job.

I got dropped from the specialist's list as I couldn't make the appointments, so I then wasn't being monitored for the condition.

Eventually burnt out, left the job, it was horrible. Back on my feet now and taking much more care of my health.

It's very clear on here that most people don't understand how a small school runs and how finely balanced it is, plus the legal requirements for having a DSL on site at all times. I don't disagree that it's not the GP at fault and I think the LA perhaps needs to be proactive in getting more staff appropriately trained but posters blithely saying "just go" and "make time" dont really get it.

In my area you can get blood tests at the hospital rather than go. It’s open 7am to 6pm and you just turn up (obviously sometimes are busier than others) if your area offers something like that it gives you more flexibility. You can take your laptop and do admin if needed.

Working 7-7 with no break is not normal and everyone is entitled to attend medical appointments. Am a former school governor. In these circumstances we would expect the OP to notify the governors of staffing levels whilst she is at a medical appointment.

You are not indispensable. God forbid you should drop dead, OP, but the school would function perfectly well without you.

Have you spoken to the chair of governors about all of this? It sounds like there needs to be a better short term plan - if you get sick that will have a huge impact on the school so they need to think about options. This could be DSL cover from another school, training up someone else so you have more than two people trained ( our 2 form entry school has a dsl and 4 desks).

I know our Dr only generally has nursing appointments during the day which is very frustrating, but they do have some early morning appointments each week for those who are working. Ask if this is possible - booking early morning means you are not off site when children are in, and less likely for an incident to derail you actually getting there. Alternatively ask if you can use your local hospital drop in blood service - they often have much longer hours or weekends sessions.

I do understand how difficult is to just walk off during any incident when staffing is precarious. You need to talk with chair / LA advisor about back up plans. It is sadly common in schools - I remember our head sustaining a head injury and still coming to work because the stress of trying to arrange cover was greater than the stress of just coming to work anyway!

I’m sorry things are so difficult right now but it’s your responsibility to prioritise your own healthcare. You have to speak up and work and take the time you need. Everyone else seems to be off. Surely they can give you an hour to speak to a Dr. Lots of things like blood tests can be booked online and out of regular hours where I live. Try researching that.

You need to raise the issue with the senior team. Someone should be arranging appropriate cover whilst the others are off. Whilst you keep doing it though nothings going to change.

When you die, your job will be filled in hours.

Issue here is your priorities.

Look after yourself.

Your title says doctors don't understand how difficult it is for you to see them. But I can't see what you think doctors should do? Hang around waiting until you've suddenly got a few spare minutes, then drop everything else to fit in with you?

I think it's you who doesn't get it. It doesn't matter how difficult it is, the only solution here is the OP going to her appointment. If she carries on telling herself it's impossible she'll end up off long-term.

Also, use your governors (particularly your safeguarding lead).
Assuming it’s an hour or so out of school you need, there’s really no excuse for you not to be covered.

How big is the school?

We had 7 safeguarding people at the school l taught at.

Stop being a martyr OP. Nothing is so important at work that it can't wait an hour while you go to the doctors.

I hear you OP! And all those ‘make time’ ‘with the greatest respect’ etc comments are not helpful and make me very tearful reading them . Some of us work jobs that really do make it impossible to get those Drs appointments. As unbelievable as it sounds to many it really does bloody happen in the real world.

Our system has a three week wait but some locations offer Satursdays.
I don't know if I'd be surprised anymore about any aspect of the health service and its variants.

Blood test queue is three weeks for the drawing of blood but then the results are back within an hour or three. That's phenomal!

but it is her problem, i think that's clear from her post... the buck stops with her right now... missing the other 2 of the top 3 is no joke especially if the school is struggling...

If you were getting ready for work and at 6.15am you tripped down the stairs and fractured your leg and had to go to hospital, the school would survive because there would be no choice. Treat this appointment as that. You fell down the stairs, work is not an option. You need this blood test, work is not an option.

As I mentioned earlier, it is easy to get a blood test done through a private hospital/laboratory/GP. You can make an appointment in the evening or over the weekend. Once the blood test is done and the result is available, usually within 48 hours, it can be emailed to the GP with a covering note. GP can then prescribe the medication.

but in her role as opposed to, say, an office job (like mine) there could be (could be!) very serious consequences for the vulnerable. Even in a similarly 'front line' caring profession (say NHS) it will be a larger organisation with redundancies built in...

It won't though. Schools are struggling to fill headships even more than they are to fill teaching roles. So many schools now have a shared head across 2/3 schools and a deputy at each because no-one wants the job.

It's all good and well saying the school will have to cover you, but who do you think has to sort the cover? The OP! She can't leave the premises unless there is another DSL, and there isn't (reliably anyway). If she is off sick, the school cannot legally be open to children.

Yes, they need to train another (or more) DSLs, but that takes time and isn't going to help with this predicament.

It is incredibly naive to think schools have enough staff to just "carry on" if you're off sick. They don't.

As I said if she died tomorrow, the problem would be solved. It can be solved she just needs to have boundaries and essentially say she needs to do this, just as the others have when they’ve been ill, there are workarounds even in education.

No.

Those of you who can't engage with the advice being offered here are the ones not getting something.

Many, many people posting here will have experience of the sort of pressure you're describing.

But maybe they've also experienced the sort of medical event or life disaster that proves to you how little you matter to your employer in the grand scheme of things.

If you had an ectopic pregnancy or brain haemorrhage or your husband was arrested for murder YOU WOULD MISS WORK and work would find a way to keep on keeping on.

It is ridiculous and unsafe and unsustainable to be SO IRREPLACEABLE that you miss 6 scheduled GP appointments. Appointments that will have been made well in advance allowing for contingency and cover to be arranged.

You are only IRREPLACEABLE to your family and those who love you. Therefore you prioritise your health and go to your appointments.

Call them up and book an appointment for in the holidays, meanwhile, explain that you need your medication prior to then, they can't refuse. Just say your review is booked. Most GPs would be a two week wait for bloods now anyway, which fits in with school holidays

It sounds like you haven’t really listened to the advise up thread. In this situation would you push for one of your teachers to do without their medicine for 2.5 weeks til the end of term? Or would you advocate for them and find a way to make an appointment before then?

a blood test takes approximately 90 seconds. The minutes (hours) before in the waiting room are frustrating but at least you’re contactable by phone if needed? If you’ve been left in charge to cover someone, surely there’s someone that can be left on site to call you if needed?