What proof can I give of Maternity Appointments?

[PayingMyWayYouSay]

Yet another issue has arose...

Some of you may remember my other thread. Apologies I'm always asking for advice like it's chocolate

In a nutshell, HR have palmed me off and told me that if I have any issues with my manager, I have to take it up with whoever manages my department (NHS based).

I outlined my rights about those sick notes etc to my manager, and the advice and links given from maternity action etc etc.

Line manager has left me well alone after that.

This morning, however, head of department came in loudly asking people about their progress etc and discovered I had a maternity appointment today, and one tomorrow too.

My hospital is quite far away, meaning I'll be taking quite a few hours away if includes travel etc.

Anywho, she's said that she wants further proof than my 'appointment section of my notes', and says she will be ringing my hospital I'm under to make sure I'm due for these appointments as I've stated.

Is this allowed? I didn't think my hospital could disclose this?

I have no issue really in terms of accuracy as I know it's all truthful on my side, but isn't an appointment card suppose to be sufficient?

She did say before that it'd be best if I gave in individual letters for each appointment, from the hospital, but I don't get letters with my appointments on

What is wrong or right here?

Many thanks

Bump x

Make an official complaint. The appointments page should be sufficient. She's harassing you and essential threatening to spy on your movements. Does she conceivably have (or can she get) privileged access to NHS appointments by dint of her job title?

They can ask for proof of your appointments, what that proof can be I'm not sure. Can you request for them to print a letter off stating you need it for your employer?

Can ypu photocopy your appointment page in your notes abd hand that in.

She can't ring the hospital and ask for details of your appointments. They won't give the information. She is harrassing you. I really feel for you.

Get a date-stamped selfie of you with your midwife

Do you work for the NHS? She should know better than this.

I don't know about the legalities but it sounds completely out of line!!! My sympathies for having to work for such horrible people

My hospital sends me a letter each appointment saying : please note you have an appointment in X department at X time. On headed paper. I hand a copy of that in. The one time I only got a time jotted down on a card I rang and enquired and they sent me out an official letter. Alternatively, some clinics will give you a letter as you leave saying Blue rose attended X hospital on X day. Might not be helpful retrospectively though.

Would you consider complaining to HR? Or emailing to say from now on you'll only discuss your antenatal appointments with HR and only via email? I'd find that atmosphere quite upsetting and your privacy is being breached & you may not want your colleagues knowing how many times/when you have appointments

www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5343 she is completely out of line.

Can ypu photocopy your appointment page in your notes abd hand that in

That's what OP is being told isn't good enough.

Christ by the sounds of it they're right pieces of work at your place.
The appointment section of your notes should be sufficient. However I'd ask at your appointment if you could have an official letter.

Do I remember right that you work in the same trust your having maternity care through? If so I echo pp in that is there any way your management might have access to the clinical or appointment systems? If so you need to email IT and HR and voice your concerns that your manager may attempt to access your maternity notes. If they do it would technically be gross misconduct.

Maternity services cannot reveal any information unless you have agreed first. Technically they aren't even supposed to confirm or deny you are one of their patients unless you've agreed and even then information sharing is with other clinic teams, not your employer.

The whole point of the green notes is that all the details of your antenatal care is one handy accessible form. All the relevant professionals involved in antenatal care fill it out. Your manager is being ridiculous. If the appointment is in your notes then that is enough proof.

This sounds completely outrageous. She will not be able to ring up and demand the hospital tells her your appointment times - the hospital clerical staff will not release this information.

Do your hospital give you a letter detailing the appointments? This should be more than adequate. In rare cases where school/work have been very particular about proving attendance at a scheduled appointment I have written a brief note st the appointment confirming attendance and the date and time (and usually include a line about how their appointment letter should be sufficient). Poor you.

I never got letters after the first time- the mw would just flick to the right page in her diary and copy to my notes. Thankfully my work never asked for anything apart from MATB1 and I'd need a full day off most times due to a long commute

I'd Live to be a fly on the wall when your head of dept asks for records of your appointments and has rules of confidentiality explained to her...
Especially if she works in the NHS and should know exactly what information can be discussed with her about your care - absolutely nothing.

No, the antenatal staff will not discuss you or any aspect of your care with your bosses and you are well within your rights to withhold access to any pages in your notes as they are confidential personal documents.

Take it back to HR and if you get no joy, go to union if you have one or ACAS. They're out of order

Hi all, thanks for the replies.

I work in a completely different trust to the one I receive maternity care under.

I asked my maternity hospital if they'd send out an official letter last time, and they said the notes written that say about my appointments should be sufficient.

I have also been asked by the head of department a while back why I chose such a far away hospital, as it was 'to her understanding' that I wasn't that far home wise from where I work. I did explain because I felt most comfortable there and it had the better specialist for non pregnancy related conditions that tie in. She was very

Honestly, HR are not getting involved at all and they're stressing me with their lack of care.

Detail everything that's happened in an email to the chief executive of your trust. Make sure to detail how stressful a this has being and how unsupported you've felt. Include a highlighted a copy of the maternity policy, I guarantee it does not specify each appointment needs an individual letter. I'd also make it clear how you were questioned on your choice of care, again something which is not the business of anyone at work. Copy in the head of HR. In fact copy in the entire trust board. Send it every single day if you have to. It is within the remit of HR to help you with this and believe me, pestering of the top execs will put fireworks up HRs arse.

She won't be able to get any information from your hospital if she rings up and asks for it. She has no right.

You quite obviously have these appointment as you've showed her some sort of thing with the date/time so it's stupid that she is saying this isn't good enough.

I didn't get appointment letters all of the time either so for her to expect this is as proof isn't on.

Please make some sort of complaint about her. She isn't allowed to treat you like this.

You shouldn't be stressing out about this kind of stuff, it annoys me that no one seems to care/ want to help you with this. This is meant to be a happy time. Good luck with everything x

PayMyWay I would recommend you raise a Grievance in writing on the basis of your Management harassing you. Please use that word as it is the legal term for bullying when associated with a protected characteristic. Mention their insistence of proof of your appointments when you have already provided ample evidence in writing has become such a source of stress that you cannot work effectively in your role.

Lodge the grievance with HR.

You'll likely find an instant change of attitude when HR realise it could be a Tribunal case. No need to mention a Tribunal, they'll get it just by how you've worded the Grievance.