In shock - I’ve just been sacked

[Zofloramummy]

I’m a single mum with a mortgage. I’ve worked in the NHS for 21 years. I’ve had a really shitty few years, left an abusive relationship, struggles with my mental health and had an accident resulting in several fractures.

I have had three absences since my return from long term sickness (flu, D&V, and a horrendous reaction to antibiotics).
I went to the third formal sickness interview today and I’ve had my contract terminated.

I’m in shock I think. They’ve applied the policy to the letter so I doubt there are grounds for appeal. After years of service and being burnt out by the demands of the job I’ve been sacked.

Not sure why I’m posting I think I just need to hear some positive stories of people who have come out of the other side of this. I don’t think I want to work in the NHS any longer. I’m trying to see this as an opportunity. But I’m scared too. Not sure if relationships is the right place to post, but any advice would be great.

OP, I'm sorry you have had to go through this but it sounds like you are approaching it as well as can be expected. Good luck with finding something else.

The nhs are always horrible to ill staff. Doesn't surprise me at all.

Not my experience at all. I've got MS and they've been fantastic.

Like many things it varies.

My trust were very unsympathetic regardless of diagnosis - that was one of the issues I had as the disabled employee rep. They wouldn't accept that people who were disabled may need extra time for things like appointments or, sometimes extra time off, everyone had the exact same trigger points it was very black or white. They claimed it prevented discrimination by treating everyone the same and couldn't see the problem

There was no allowance for clinics over running - you could have time for your appointment in the hospital but literally time for your appointment and expected to use break so if it was at 10:30 and wasn't done by 11:00 then you must go back to work, or you were to use your annual leave, if it was for treatment in another hospital (very common as even in those days there were few outpatient clinics) then you must use annual leave. Have an operation in another trust - use annual leave.

Yes I don't understand an entrenched firmness against staff illness. There is no cognizance of the needs of working people within the NHS or any support to enhance recovery to get people back to work.

Professionally I've also received references for staff moving from NHS trusts stating attendance has been very good or excellent followed by anything from 12-21 days. When followed up with their manager or HR the response has been "oh it's good for us, especially on the wards".

However, that doesn't help you op. At least you have three months pay. Enjoy August with your dd. View it as a fresh start. Looking back I am sure it will become serendipitous for you.

I am sorry you have lost your job op. But saying that the nhs are poor at dealing with employees sickness is untrue. If you took 3 months off in hospitality for anything 1, it would have been unpaid and 2, someone else would have stepped into your role to cover on your return you would have been offered a job but not necessarily doing what you were 3, any further sickness would mean your employment terminated unless a doctor certifies that you are fit. Meanwhile no pay. I’ve been working in nhs now for 12 months I’m the only person in my department that hasn’t been off sick, the average is a month off in 12.

A colleague of mine (nhs) was taken through the sickness disciplinary procedure. The reason she kept having to have time off was because she had breast cancer and had bilateral mastectomy, then chemo etc etc, but the management didn’t use any discretion at all 😡

My healthboard (as it is now) won't pay any sick pay (its SSP only) until you've worked there at least twelve months and then they calculate how much time you're allowed off each year you work after that - if you take sick leave in your first twelve months then the time is reset from when you return. And it's made very clear to you the pressure you've put your colleagues under by not being in.

There was a time when it was six months full and six months half pay, that disappeared after the joke that was agenda for change.

It really does vary massively between healthboards/trusts - what the op is saying here simply wouldn't have been possible where I worked now.

Where I worked they're constantly looking for staff and this is one of the reasons why it's now mostly agency staff, who when I was in last were kinder to me as an ex-employee who is now disabled on benefits than the employed staff because I worked there and had been gossiped about when off (not all of them but most joined in). I can prove my conditions but no one was interested. It's not changed, staff were constantly bitching about some poor nurse who was off because of 'just carpel tunnel syndrome' which, apparently, was pathetic - then they got word she was having an operation and it got even worse. When I asked them to stop they refused.

Sorry that should be "allowed off with pay each year" not allowed off.

I did complain formally about the bitching about the staff member, but it wasn't upheld. I didn't expect it to be, but the fact it was raised should make them stop and think about what they're doing - there was someone in my bay with carpel tunnel syndrome who was really upset at how the condition was being discussed.

Not every healthboard/trust is the same but mine definitely is not good at dealing with staff sickness - occupational health is now dealt with in Cardiff (hours away) by a private company (capita who do benefit assessments).

Years back before the Bradford scale was introduced I did some work at a community trust. The Trust had been given a contract notice by the pct at the time for poor service. This led to an investigation that showed the significant level of sickness absence compared to national rate (3 times more). The investigation also showed a very significant increase of sickness level during school holidays.

They introduced the Bradford scale and sickness level reduced drastically especially during holidays within only months.

The reality is thst staff were abusing the leniency of the system. It is sad that few people who are genuinely ill do end up being disciplined but it does take a lot of absences to get to that point.

OP you are doing the right thing using this as an opportunity to totally turn thecoage on your life. You seem to be doing well and as it's been said it is an opportunity to grasp. Good luck with the job you've seen.

People were abusing ours too - it could be very clearly seen by the numbers who returned when their pay dropped to half or none, but the black or white mentality adopted meant if you were genuinely ill you'd get into trouble as well.

I had a cpn back when it was first introduced and he knew I was the disabled staff rep - asked me to calculate how much he could "get away with being off on full pay" over the next year as he didn't get enough annual leave for what they wanted to do and as a nurse he knew what to say to his GP. He was gone within a year on the new system. He even put pictures online (not locked blogs then weren't) showing off about his holiday at centre parcs when off ill - he literally included his paid sick leave as annual leave if he hadn't used it. No I didn't know his medical history or able to access his notes but the fact he asked me to help him told me a lot. Illness, mostly, can be predicted.

So I agree something needed to be done, but in the case of mine they went too far and the refusal to accept that some people may, literally, due to disability need leniency wasn't allowed, they lost some good staff because of it.

There would be poor Who returned due to needing to money and still ill, but the sheer numbers suggested that was unlikely the case.

Sorry illness mostly cannot be predicted I meant to say!

Ffs. there would be a few who returned due to needing money ....

So sorry this has happened to you OP.

I think that staff management policies in the public sector have swung far too much in the wrong direction. I've been a public sector worker (not NHS) for 30 years and I agree that years ago there were people who took the piss taking days sick for hangovers etc but we've hit a situation now where staff are terrified of losing their jobs, going into work with things like flu and vomiting and infecting team members. Meanwhile cuts are meaning that people are doing the work that was previously the work of 2 people and then going off sick with work stress. People who leave due to stress or who are hounded out of their jobs don't get replaced. Management announce a saving and those left have an even larger work load.

OP I do hope that things work out for you and your DD.

There are some good people on the employment thread and it might be worth getting some decent advice

However, you are right to focus on the positives! Now is the time to be kind to yourself and focus on future plans.

I know quite a few people who would say (a year or two down the line) that losing their job in circumstances like this was the “best thing that could have happened” and they are much happier as a result. I would say though that the key was that they immediately started planning future steps and worked hard on their cv. Some careers type advice and cv review might be useful?
Best wishes, this sounds horribly unfair. Would they have preferred you came in and passed on the illnesses to patients?!

I’m off to the careers service this morning for advice. I’m considering whether there may be any options for retraining possibly into teaching. I have a degree so could do the year conversion course. It would depend on finances though. Also education is just as stretched as the NHS! But I was thinking early years rather than secondary.

I did the job profile matching thing today and got pet behaviourist!! 😂

I’ve been to the careers centre and have an appointment next week. I’ve started applying for jobs. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed today and emotional. I guess that was bound to happen eventually. Just trying to focus on one step at a time.

I was made redundant earlier this year and I recognise that feeling of shock and shame.

Like all the others in this thread, it was SUCH a good thing to happen to me. Before my gardening leave was up I had a new job with higher pay, a much better atmosphere, and work much more suited to what I love doing.

Even my mum noticed how much happier I am since I left that place!

I hope you get the education job and your mental health continues to build.

Well done for getting to your careers appointment. Let them help you as much as they can and preserve your energy for interviews etc. Hopefully you'll find something fast with your skills and experience xx

Ok so I’ve had a bit of a blow today. I have a lease car through work. I’ve tried to contact the finance dept and they’ve eventually got back to me today. There is a settlement figure to pay on the car and obviously it needs returning.
At the moment finance have asked HR who is responsible for paying it. They have terminated my contract not me so there is an ethical issue I guess to be sorted out.
In the meantime I’ve contacted the lease company and arranged collection. They’re also querying who is liable and told me not to panic as they are going to ask my ex employer to pay.
If I do end up paying it it’s a chunk out of my payment in lieu of notice and makes my job search more pressured than it already was!
I’m fighting the sick feeling in my stomach and crossing fingers and toes.

Pet behaviorist!!
Is that a job?
What else is a good fit for your type.

Shock and shame describes the feeling so well.. and both at thecsame time.9

Apparently so but not one I’m willing to pursue!
Yes I came out as unsurprisingly the career I’ve just left, a music teacher (haven’t played an instrument since I was 18) and a family support worker.
I’m applying for special needs teaching assistant posts, health and well-being support in higher education and tendency support for vulnerable tennants.
They all fit into my relevant experience and all offer some sort of progression.
In the meantime I think I need to register for care work ASAP. But as a full time single mum I’m limited in my available working hours as evenings and weekends aren’t possible. My family live miles away and I can’t rely on school mum friends to that level.