Are work OH assessments worth it?

[Myotis]

Or do they literally just recommend the same thing for everyone
My husband has been off work since last February after a very serious illness that needed a 7.5 month hospital stay including ICU, topped off by open heart surgery this January from a secondary reason. He is feeling like he should start to consider work again, so had an OH assessment yesterday with the letter arriving today which just basically said rock on with a 6 week phased return. 6 weeks! He was bed bound for months and still is not fully recovered with a lot of exhaustion. I just think they say the same old story to everyone. He is going to push back on it, and luckily he has worked for the company for a long time and they know that if he says he is not well enough, he really is not well enough. I think he could consider a couple of mornings a week for a month and see how it goes but there’s no way he’ll be full time in 6 weeks.
So worried now that if he goes back he is then going to make himself ill and then need to be off again with no sick leave and with the employee salary protection that has given him half pay taken away and so we’ll be fucked with just my salary.

I only ask as I line manage someone who is on a phased return from covid and I feel like they have been told exactly the same information that he has had, but the situations are like chalk and cheese.

He just needs to say thats too much too soon and suggest recommend steady break in leading up to full time over a certain length of time.

Any issues, go to his union

Is it worth him asking for a second OH opinion? He feels he wasn’t asked the right questions and he’s not very good at standing his ground

In my experience they have been tailored to my needs so no not the same for everyone. But mine was reasonable adjustments for a long-term condition effecting my ability to work. So a bit different to returning to work after a long absence. Just push back, it's not just OH but also what his doctor recommends as they can sign him off for a longer phased return if he needs it.

Ours are not worth the paper they are written on, I’d just had chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a hysterectomy and I asked for a phased return due to the physical nature of the job (police officer) and they asked why, I said I’m in pain still and knackered, her response oh why does chemotherapy and radiotherapy tire you out then? Erm yeah love, I’ve just had 35 sessions of radiotherapy, and internal radiation, chemo and a radical hysterectomy what do you think?!? Ultimately I didn’t get it, went back too early and really struggled. My sgt was agog when he saw me in work.

Sorry to hear that @Thethruththewholetruth - I can’t understand how you could be questioned like that
@MigGirl glad it has worked for you- tbh he still has underlying issues as a result and these may be permanent so consideration needs to be given to that.
i have told him the suggestions on here, to speak to his own doctor. Will see what happens tomorrow. Thanks for your replies

Yes OP...if he can get a supporting letter from his gp to suggest gradual return to work and for DH to add that to a letter asking for gradual return

To be honest it sounds like your DH is not yet fit enough to return to work. From an OH point of view someone who has only recovered enough to work a couple of mornings isn't ready for work yet.
I'd encourage him to get another fit note from GP and concentrate on his recovery, then get another OH review in a month and take it from there.

I had a OH report which recommended a phased return incl wfh for the first couple of weeks and then gradual return to office but with breaks built in etc etc

My then line manager told me that it was a recommendation only ? They didn't need to work to it and I wasn't allowed to wfh

Unfortunately I don't think it's realistic to expect to be able to work just a couple of mornings a week for several weeks. If that's all your DH could manage then it doesn't sound as though he's fit to return to work yet.

Our HR policy says that phased returns are only started when it is reasonable to expect to be at full contracted within 4 weeks

As soon as someone starts a phased return then they are back on full pay as opposed to sick pay so working a couple of mornings a week we would be questioning the motivation to return -we do get people asking for a phased return when their enhanced sick pay has run out and it's clear that they aren't fit to return
-absolutely not saying this is the case for your husband btw, just explaining why the policy exists

For lots of people being in work after a period of illness is good for their mental health, and this is the primary motivator, but it also has to work for the employer and at such reduced hours that is unlikely

I’ll have a look at our return to work policy (we both work at the same company)
thanks- I don’t think I realised there was that requirement. He might not be able to go full time again though, it’s just hard to know without trying.