hi-anyone know if i have an operation on unpais maty leave does it revert to sick leave ?

[fakeblondie]

Im getting pretty desperate for an operstion which ive been putting off for years.
Im currently in month 6 of 6 months maty leave and selfishly i really want this time with my baby-not ecovering myself from major surgery. I was planning on returning to work for a few months and then agreeing to the surgery . I work for he nhs so would also then get full pay for the period of at least 3 months ill be required to stay off for .
My question is if i HAVE to have this op sooner-before i return, and while on umpaid leave could i get my sick pay which i would get in full if i officially went back ??
Hmmm x

I'd say that to get sick pay, you need to be in work, not on maternity leave, so you'd need to go back to work, or at least give them the appropriate notice that you intend to go back to work, then go on to sick pay.

I'd have thought highly unlikely, and actually, why the heck should a company pay you sick leave whilst on statutory maternity pay?

Even more so, why should the taxpayer fund it? An outrageous prospect in my opinon!

the answer is no

You need to be 'back' from maternity leave. But as you can choose when you go back, I guess technically you could elect to end your maternity leave the day before your operation and be signed off sick instead.

Whether you should morally is of course a different question, but as you are in control of when your maternity leave ends, it is up to you.

Dint you have to give eight weeks notice of a change to your agreed return date?

You should do, but if its the NHS in my experience they are not that strict with the rules.

I think the nHS would be strict about this actually. Certainly as a NHS manager I don't fel any obligation to bend the rules to allow you more then your entitlement. You are on maternity leave - whih isn't just paid holiday, it's time to alllow you and the baby to recover and settle - or you are on sick leave. If you need the op now you should have it.

Well this was not my experience in the Trust I worked for but its nice to see this is not the norm.

8 weeks notice yes. But the OP is asking whether shecan have the op while still on unpaid mat leave and convert it into sick leave instead. As her paid mat leave doesn't end until 9 months, it sounds as though giving the right amount of notice wouldn't be a problem.

She is in month six of sixmonths mat leave?

thanks everyone .i've carefully planned my pregnancy and saved so that i can be at home with my baby for her first year . I really didnt anticipate spending this time having major surgery and recovering . Morals ? What ever that suggests I've worked all my life and have an excellent sickness record . Fortunately have never needed to claim sick pay so am just little grrr that having worked within an organisation which provides a good sickness policy the only time I'm potentially going to be ill I'm on unpaid maternity leave . I only asked and hopefully i Will be well enough soon to delay surgery for long as pos anyway .

Yes bearing in my the question and the rest of the OP I assumed the 6 of 6 months mat leave was a typo.

OP if you would like to delay your op until after your year mat leave I hope you are able to do that- sounds like you are lucky enough to have an exceptionally generous sick pay provision you can use.