Signed off sick

[BalticUnicorn]

Hello ive been signed off from work for 2 weeks with antenatal depression. Ill have to go and see occy health. Its a range of issues at work. I had a mentor who bullied me and left me with no confidence. Everyone puts calls through to my number so i constantly have to stop what im doing to help and colleagues never give me any peace. The office is packed and often i have to crouch over a laptop. I cant really say this to occy health can i?

Why on earth would you not be able to?

Those are exactly the sort of things you should be telling them

I'm struggling to see how "antenatal" has anything to do with that scenario.......

Antenatal implies caused by pregnancy, not work.

Baltic, I'd write yourself some notes about the issues causing you stress. Sometimes when it's written down it helps get things in perspective.

When you meet Occ Health, give factual examples of problems you have. Focus on the work environment, esp if it's cramped and you're having to crouch over a laptop, that sounds like you don't have a proper desk/seating?

That's not ante natal - it's work related.

If your work call it ante natal it's almost certainly to deflect the blame from them.

If your doctor has specified that it is antenatal depression that implies he or she doesn't think you have work-related stress. Having said that, you obviously have some issues with work, and if you feel they are causing you stress and contributing to your illness there's no reason not to mention them if you are going to see occupational health anyway.

It sounds like the issue with the mentor has been resolved, as you speak of that in the past tense.

With the phone calls, are they part of your role or not? If your colleagues should be handling the calls themselves, or putting them through to someone else, have you spoken to your manager about that?

Similarly, have you spoken to your manager about not having a proper desk/computer set up and asked for this to be addressed? that's certainly something to mention to occupational health as they'll know all about back/shoulder/wrist complaints resulting from poor workstation set-up.

Its just depression on note but its to do with pregnancy as i appear to be losing my mind. Work compounds things. These phone calls should be sent as emails but they phone because they know ill do it. My manager doesnt give a shit

Ive also been told part time is not an option so ive got the stress of looking for another job on mat leave

Then go to your manager's manager.