Ill health retirement from nhs advice please

[Mollylolly]

I am nearly 55 . I've worked for the nhs for 20 years . I have had chronic anxiety since I was 21 caused by childhood trauma. In the 20 years of nhs service I've had 2 nervous breakdowns and was off work 6 months and 8 months . My last breakdown was 6 years ago . I have not been off work since as I reduced my days to 3.5 to be able to cope . I had many calls with my doctor last year saying I was physically and mentally done but I kept going to work. I want to also add i have terrible agoraphobia so work was the only place i went . I worked in a gp surgery through nhs .October 2025 5 months ago I lost my son to suicide. As you can imagine I have completely fell apart and I haven't left the house since . The devastation is unbearable. I feel I'm done physically and mentally. I also have heart issues svt and afib had heart surgery for these in 2023 . Stress can bring them on .I have chronic fatigue also. But the anxiety is horrific. My manager suggested applying for medical retirement. But how likely is it id get it ? I have a lot of medical evidence regarding my mental health dating back a long time with lots of input from psychiatrist to psychologist to counsellors . The psychiatrist actually says i was the worst case of anxiety he'd ever seen . I've now been on sick pay for 5 months since my son passed . Occupational health have been great and basically told me I'm not fit for work. As I say I'm done. I feel I've battled with this my whole life . I've never claimed any benefits ever. I just want to rest now . I can't bear the thought of having to go back to work . All I do is cry all day. I'd really appreciate some advice on whether Ill health retirement would be doable. Thank you xx

Your psychiatrist would need to say you're never going to be fit to work again and occupational health would likely need to agree. It's very difficult but worth trying.

metalbottle
My psychiatrist has retired now but there is lots of notes from him on my records . I haven't seen him in a few years as he referred me onto a psychologist as he felt they could help with anxiety better than he could. Plus because he was retiring. I have counselling every Tuesday at the moment. My gp also says she will support my application.

I was retired on ill health grounds in my 30s (8 years ago) from the nhs.
Its not easy and lots of hoops to jump through.There's 2 tiers depending on if they think you may work again in any job in or out of the nhs.
I got tier 1 meaning they don't think I'll ever work again in any job.
If your in a union I'd strongly suggest that you speak to them, mine were very helpful and also came to every meeting with me.
They need to exhaust every avenue first so they looked at reasonable adjustments in my job, then in other jobs within the nhs, reduction in hours, working from home etc when they were satisfied that they had tried everything I was assessed by two different doctors plus had reports from gp, gastroenterology, gynecologist, occupational health which were then all sent to an independent doctor who made the final report-this took about 6 months.

My mum was medically retired from the nhs.

@Pinknothere Thank you for your reply. Yes it seems it's going to be a fight to get it. Did you have to do the reasonable adjustments like work from home or was it they just suggested it ? I'm glad it worked out for you . I'm just not sure if mental health grounds would be enough.

@ForPinkDuck hi thanks for reply. That's good to know . I'm just not sure mental health grounds would be enough to succeed.

Mental health needs are still health needs op. Persue this.

@ForPinkDuck yes they are for sure x

No you don't need to do the adjustments (if you can't) however they have to be looked at and a good case made to why not. I tried twice to do phased return with great adjustments but it didn't work that was enough to show it wasn't possible.
I would imagine mh grounds is harder to provide a definitive 'they'll never work again in any job' however I think thats where the two tiers would come in.
I would also say dont think this is the easy option either. My mh took a nose dive afterwards for many reasons the lack of routine, finality of never working again, the coments from others, the having to claim benefits and all that comes with the repeated jumping through hoops to show your still ill/unable to do xyz and people looking down on you/thinking less of you. Still now I feel I'm in a different stage of life to my peers and no-one understands, I get comments like 'your lucky you dont work' people just don't understand that I'd rather work than be ill. However at the same time the retirement lifted the weight of guilt and uncertainty so was a very mixed time.

@Pinknothere I'm sorry you have struggled since retiring. I can imagine it is not easy . I know deep down I'm done . I can't do it anymore. My job is so stressful. All I can do is try . X

I'd be amazed if you get it without specialist support. If you are too unwell to leave the house you should be under the care of a psychiatrist, why did no one else take over when your psychiatrist retired?

@metalbottle my psychiatrist at the time felt psychology input would be more beneficial. As they were experienced in cbt therapy. But ultimately nothing helped . I was then referred for psychotherapy . I was assessed over 3 sessions and told because of my heart condition it was to risky until I got the svt and afib under control. I had heart surgery coming up. They advised psychotherapy brings up a lot of trauma and could bring on a episode with my heart because of the stress . I decided ultimately it was to risky even after surgery. I have a long history of this. And never found anything that ever helped overcome it . As I say i attend counselling each week that deals with grief and anxiety. They are specialists in suicide also.

Are you in a union? If so contact them for advice.

The NHS will fight tooth and nail to stop you getting ill health retirement but it can be achieved.

I think a referral to a new psychiatrist is important because an opinion and report from a current ongoing specialist is essential.

It took me years and eventually my employer instructed an independent occupational health consultant hoping that she would side with them on the crux of the issue ie was I too unwell to ever work again.

Luckily for me it bit them on the arse as the doctor took my side not theirs.

Read your employer’s policy regarding ill health retirement inside out to ensure you know exactly what you are up against.

You might like to look at the Pension’s Ombudsman website as you can read determinations there from people who have been refused ill health retirement and have taken their case to the ombudsman to appeal.

You should also consider applying for any appropriate disability benefits.

I really hope you succeed.

@Wildviolet Thank you for your reply .
Yes I'm in the union. I will contact them today . I'm glad you succeeded eventually. I'm sure that was a very stressful time for you ....I plan to call my gp today to discuss my options. From what I've read some people seem to get it easier than others. I definitely know it's going to be a fight for sure.

Feel free to message me if I can help.
Fingers crossed for you.

My mum was medically retired at the same age as a teacher Senco after developing RA. She was lucky and the family doctor I think pushed for it - my mum asked too. So definitely ask and push for it.

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain Thank you . I'm glad your mum succeeded that would have been a big weight lifted.

Absolutely try for it but be prepared for how long the process is. I've been supporting an application for someone I manage since Jan 2025.
It's expected to have another 9 months until a decision is made minimum.

@TheEllisGreyMethod Hi thanks for the reply . Is this with the nhs ? Yes I'm aware it will be a long process. Nothing is ever simple . X

Yes it's the NHS. We were told average processing time currently 24-48 months, I have 3 staff at various stages with it, 2 with terminal diagnoses.

I’m really sorry about your son op. 💐

I think it’s a decision you need to make, no one can say if you’d get it, but I would consider the repurcussions of getting it, could it make you worse, as in shrink your world smaller, with work it forces us to get up, get out, face the world, and as much as that’s untenable right now. Would it be better for you in the long term to work to that goal?