occupational health advice please

[hotxbuns]

Just wondered if anyone can help. I started a job in November and since I have started I've been asked to do something that I didn't believe would be part of my job role although I'm told it is in everyone's job description. I haven't yet had a jd. Anyway, I find this new task extremely painful as I suffer from palm psoriasis and it involves pulling large amounts of casenotes for other members of staff in a hospital. These are packed in very tightly and on many occassions my hands are cracked and weeping and it really hurts to do this! No-one enjoys doing this part of the job so I get asked to do everyone's as I am a lower grade. I have explained my hands are very sore and my manager advised me to go to occ health if I have a problem with it. I have telephoned them this morning and have an appointment to see a doctor. What exactly can they do? Do they have the power to state that I can no longer do this part of the job?

absolutely. if it is only part of your job then they should be obliged to look at reasonable adjustments such as providing alternative work or altering the task to make it possible for you

you certainly shouldn't be required to do a task which is causing you pain and worsening your condition

look up the DDA

thank you for your reply. Tbh I wouldn't have taken the job if it had been made clear to me that this would be one of my tasks due to the state of my hands. What is the DDA?

just realised what the DDA is!

Occupational Health don't have power as such, no. They can advise your employer whether they think you are fit to do that aspect of your job or not, and your employer then needs to decide what to do with that information.

They are only obliged to make reasonable adjustments if the condition is a disability. Is it?

Occupational Health work for both sides so while they are looking out for the employee and doing all they can to ensure that work doesn't make your health worse they do so in essence to protect the employer from facing legal charges for poor working conditions, unreasonable requests etc. It is a very foolish employer who will ignore a recommendation from occupational health. On the flip side it is a very foolish employee who ignores a recommendation to see occupational health as by doing so you've allowed the employer to say that they have done all they can to look out for you and you've chosen to ignore them therefore... etc. I've known folks to me moved out of companies quickly due to them being unable to perform duties due to health problems because they ignored the recommendation to see occupational health. The employer just fired them because they were not performing duties. I also know folks who've had their jobs changed, workplaces adjusted and hours reduced to help them because of occupational health recommendations.

GO SEE THEM!

I've got an appointment with them next week so hopefully I'll get something sorted. Thanks for your replies and the helpful advice. Its seems getting their advice is the way to go.

Good luck

I'm assuming you work for a Trust and am a bit surprised you don't have a copy of your job description. You might find it helpful to get this now, as a common reason for referral to OH is to establish how much of your role you can do, whether adjustments are needed and often whether the employer has a duty under the Equality Act to make those adjustments.

Adjustments might mean restricted duties, or a different way of doing them (e.g. would cotton gloves help? No idea, but a typical thought process). Sometimes the OH report may highlight workplace problems (tightly packed notes on shelves can be an upper limb disorder risk, for example) for the employer to fix. Ultimately OH can advise if they consider you are not fit for your current role but this would then become an HR decision on how to proceed, bearing in mind that a bigger employer may be able to offer redeployment.

Hope your appointment goes well next week, you might find it leads to some potential solutions?

I have been given a new manger and I have ask for a meeting in regards to my mental and to give an up sent email twice it was only on the 2nd I got reply saying I don't have that much time outside of clinical hrs but will arrange something after my annual leave manager annual has been and gone and still no sign of arranging a meeting. Occupational Health stated that regular 1to1 meeting should be in place. Not had any support from new manger. What are my rights ?