Time off for hospital appointment

[amithewrongone]

I have a hospital appointment this week. I was referred on the 2 week wait with 'suspected cancer', although my doctor said it was unlikely to be cancer she wanted me seen quickly. I suffer from anxiety and this is making me feel very anxious so whilst I don't want to attend the appointment I am keen to get it done.

I only work two days a week and my appointment has unfortunately been made for a day that I work. I have worked here for 15 years and taken no time off sick in that time, I used to work full time, but after maternity leave returned part time. I enjoy my job and the hours work for me. As I only work 2 days I have always made myself available to cover staff sickness/holiday etc.

My manager has reluctantly allowed me this time off (I realise that he does not legally have to do this), but he is really not happy about it and it's making me feel uneasy.

I am wondering if I am in the wrong here, I honestly don't know. Should I have phoned the hospital and asked for another appointment on a day I don't work even though this would have pushed the date back? I thought it was reasonable to ask for this time off (obviously unpaid), but I think now I might be wrong.

Can you just swap your working days with a non-working day? So if you need Thursday off for the hospital appointment and Friday is a non-working day, could you just work on Friday?

It's the NHS. One can't pick and chose appointments.

There is no ntitlement to time off for medical apts in the UK. Employers can ask for the time to be made up. Most are reasonable.

If the apt were to involve a biopsy (clinical procedure) depending on your contract/health procedure you may be able to switch the day to sickness.

If your mgr is being difficult about a two week referral, they are a dick.

I understand why you would accept this appointment and I think you're right to.
Put your boss out of your head

Have you explained to him it's a very important medical issue?

Either way just try and put it out of your head. You don't need the stress

I'm part time. I've also had numerous appointments over the last year or so. I take annual leave or switch my working days. You can't control the days clinics are held, and you definitely don't want to be rearranging appointments on the 2 week pathway when you're already anxious about it.

Hope all's ok

Thank you to you all for replying, I really appreciate it. I really wasn't sure if I was right to take this appointment or if I should have tried to rearrange it, simply because I only work 2 days. It was my managers reaction that made me doubt myself tbh.

@twointhemorning I did offer to swap, but this was turned down. I'm taking the time off unpaid, which I'm happy with.

@purpleme12 I think I got across that it was a really important medical issue, he's not good at listening. I explained that I had been referred on the 2 week wait pathway, I didn't say much more as it's personal and he doesn't like to be troubled with personal stuff.

@MassiveOvaryaction thank you, that makes me feel so much better.

@RosesAndHellebores thank you I really appreciate your advice. Honestly he can be really difficult to work for at times, but I really doubted myself with this. He is being a dick!

My professional opinion is that your manager is being an arse.

You can't pick and choose when hospital appointments are offered - health is a priority and you take what you can get. My staff are paid as usual for stuff like this...I see no reason to penalise them for needing medical care, and I'm certainly not going to go out of my way to make them feel shit about it.

I'm sorry that you're having to deal with this, and hope that the check turns out to have been unnecessary. I had to be checked out under the 2 week pathway a couple of years ago, and it's scary, but mine was fine in the end, hopefully yours will be as well.

Ignore your manager and don't waste time or energy worrying about it. You are doing absolutely the right thing in attending the appointment and he should be asking if there is anything he can do to support you rather than making you feel bad.