Work problems (apologies for the REALLY long rant)

[yorks2lancs]

Hello,
I'm new to mumsnet and am currently 29 weeks pregnant. At the moment I work for the NHS on a ward which could be described as "difficult" to say the least. I have been off-ward for several weeks now covering the reception side of the job on night shifts, which suits me just fine as I can stretch out on the floor when my back aches and don't have to worry about visitors arriving when I've run to the toilet. I've only got 5 weeks to go before I leave but things have gotten to a stage now where I am really unhappy and spend most of my nights either in tears or snowed under with hundreds of little computer jobs that have "just come up" but are urgent, or both.
It all started when I told my manager that I was pregnant and she said that she "couldn't believe that I'd done this, just when staffing was low and when I'd be off over christmas". Later she said that she had been joking but it honestly didn't feel this way to me.
Then after continuing on the ward for several weeks we had some new admissions who were particularly violent and unpredictable so I asked to be taken off the ward for my, and my baby's safety. This was met with more huffing and "I thought you said you'd be ok on the ward for longer. I might have to send you to another ward now."
Eventually I was told that I could spend the rest of my time in the reception for our ward. But what they actually wanted was for me to do all the jobs that the rest of the staff couldn't be bothered to do, i.e ward notes and transfer documentation as well as the transportation of supplies etc. Lucky for me the ward soon needed someone to sit and control the doors for the ward all night which, although very dull, I was happy to do.
Problems started when we had a revamp and discovered that the only way into our new recpetion was through doors which could only be controlled IN reception. Being pregnant this concerned me as I was having dizzy spells and the thought that if anything happened to me, no one would be able to help was pretty much always present in my mind. When I raised this concern I was told that "it was only a temporary problem and to stop making problems where there wasn't any".
As we work shifts we get our rotas 6 weeks in advance usually, but since coming off ward I have been lucky to know when I'm working the following week. I have been covering the nights for several weeks and explained that this suited me better for the reasons I stated at the start. I got my most recent rota (for 11/11/13-09/12/13) on the 8th nov - all night shifts, but then this was revised on the 11th and then again on the 13th. On the new rota I have been put on morning shifts a day after finishing a night shift (finishing on sunday at 7:00, back in on monday at 6:45). I spoke to my fellow team members about this saying that this was not enough time to switch over my sleep pattern normally so I was worried about doing this now. Came into work tonight and had an email from my manager. I thought this might be explaining why the shifts had been changed but instead I found an email telling me not to talk about my shifts to other staff memebrs and if I had a problem I should speak to her directly. As she works 9-5 I'm not sure how she thinks this is possible.
I was going to speak to my union rep and supervisor when they are next on nights, but my shifts have now been changed so I am not going to be working when either are on the same shift as me.
I had originally wanted to start my leave on the 2nd december as I have a months worth of annual leave to take prior to my maternity leave but was persuaded not to by my manager to wait. Now I am regretting this decision. On reception I have been expected to work through my breaks, with other staff even complaining when I ask if they can cover me when I need to go to the toilet. I feel utterly unsupported and down in myself.
My DH and family have been very supportive. DH thinks I should stick it out but take it easy. My family thinks I should go and get signed off immediately.
I wanted to stay for as long as possible as I don't like leaving other people with extra work but am considering going to my doctor to get signed off for as long as possible but feel very guilty about doing this. Any advice that anyone can give me in this situation would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

Have you spoken to HR, they will have an interest in making sure that all the relevant risk assessments are completed while you are pregnant, and may well have something to say about your shift patterns.

Why care about leaving them with extra work? From what you say, they don't care about you much, and you and your baby are the most important people in this.

(I may be projecting feelings about my own management team here, who probably wouldn't recognise support if it jumped up in front of them, shouting, "I'm support! I'm support!")

This is shocking and not on. If I were you I'd raise it with the manager by email if you can't physically see them stating that obviously you cannot be expected to work through your breaks and you need to have your shifts a reasonable time in advance. CC hr and let the fallout rain down on the manager for not following proper procedure.

Get signed off by your doctor if you need to and definitely try to finish when you want to

Its not your problem to sort out cover and you'll be off soon enough anyway so a couple of weeks won't make much difference

Also email your union rep if possible or ring them from home if needs be.

Don't break your back for the job - it won't be appreciated.

Oh and yy about risk assessment. You should have on each time you're doing something different in preg

OH MY GOD!!!!

Bastards!!!

I work for the nhs too I offered to work Xmas day and Xmas eve even tho I had worked last year and then seen the Xmas rota and I was workin full days Xmas Eve Xmas day and Boxing Day so I cudnt see my family over Xmas as I don't live with them.

So I sent an email saying I would be starting mat leave on ye 23rd.

About 4 weeks ago I just felt really fed up with work and iv been off sick. I'm off till beginning of December, gunna go back but it's a week anual leave if I get me. Then I have requested to start mat leave on the 8th.

You can change when you want to start it just need to give them 28 days notice so maybe work out when 28days will be send te email saying you would like to change it to that date. And have a note off sick up untill then!

The way ur boss is talking to you is disgusting! Ur entitled to be off whenever u want! Xxxx

This sounds shocking and definitely not on legally. Not an expert on employment law but I can definitely see the problems here!

You need to speak to HR and find a way of speaking to your union rep.

As a fellow nhs employee any stress which a pregnant employee is being put under is a health and safety issue. You need to immediately ask for a referral to occupational health or phone them yourself. They can then assess you at your workplace and make a list of appropriate changes to your line manager which should be implemented. They automatically ask about stress so that should come up without you mentioning it. Worst case if they wont put suitable changes in place quickly I would get your gp to sign you off for a bit. They have an obligation to make your workplace suitable for you to continue your work. Also worth checking your maternity policy. I think ours provides for additional breaks? Which might be useful for you?

Op this sounds awful your manager sounds so unprofessional and a bully! I would'nt worry about leaving them in the lurch! That's her fault for treating you like a child who's done something wrong and the other staff members for being petty and immature! They have absolutely no right to Make you feel like this, get yourself signed off Hun it's really not worth the stress don't let them tell you about when you should start mat leave etc do what you think is best

I would make a formal complaint re your so called manager about her complete lack of tact and managerial skills! How on earth they expect anyone to finish a shift at 7pm and then return at 6.45am the following day, let alone a pregnant lady such as yourself-if I was your manager I would do my upmost to Support you through an already very hard/stressful time as it is, it really frustrates me when employers are not supportive! I work for the civil service and they have done their upmost to make sure all the relevant risk assessments etc have been done- surely the Nhs should be equally as diligent?! Especially if you have difficult patients! I'm stunned at their lack of support!

Hope you manage to get things sorted op and have a nice build up to the arrival if your little one :) as they say, don't let the b*stards grind you down . Xxxx