Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) - Duty of Care by employer

[Flexi4all]

I had a health check at work with my previous employer (I was put through a redundancy process a few months later). My employer used an external company (who were not medically qualified) to conduct these checks, it was part of a health and wellbeing program. The check took place at around 10.30 am and my blood pressure was measured at 209/134. I was not told the reading so did not realise how high it was, nor did I have any knowledge regarding the significance of what the consequences could be of a reading this high. I was told that I should see my doctor that day but I couldn't get an appointment until the following week. I was not on any medication. I remained at work until 4.30pm as usual and drove home as normal.

If you key my BP readings into the NHS website BP checker it says 'Both your Systolic and Diastolic numbers are too high. Please check both values again'

Please can anyone give me their opinion as to whether my employer breached it's 'DUTY OF CARE' towards me as this reading was classed as serious hypertension and was potentially at risk of a stroke/heart attack.

Did anything bad happen as a result? If not then there's no point in pursuing it, you won't get anywhere. The company your employer used, however, needs to urgently review its processes as this should not happen again

The following morning I was approached by Occupational Health and my BP was slightly lower but I was told that I needed to go and see my doctor immediately because the following week might be too late if I have a heart attack on the Sunday. There was a 'duty of care' report conducted several months later but they won't let me see a summary of the outcome despite a 'Subject Access Request'. They have provided a redacted version with large chunks black out but it clearly states that there was no process in place.

I have subsequently submitted an ET claim for unfair dismissal, victimisation and disability discrimination.

I'm confused, sorry. If they didn't tell you the reading how do you know it now?

I thought everyone could see the reading as it was being done. I think if I had been told to go to the GP I would have asked them what the reading was so I could pas it on?

Also if I was that worried I'd have probably gone straight to A+E!

Apologies if I've misunderstood. Also as pp said, has there been a medical consequence? Think this would be pretty difficult to prove tbh

Did you come to any harm from this?

What are you looking for the outcome to be?

Cross posted. Did you seek immediate medical help after OH advice?

Are you saying you were made redundant because your blood pressure was high?

It's really awful being made redundant but you really need to move on and cut ties.

Hopefully you got your blood pressure sorted.

I was sent a report with all my readings on a few weeks later. The Occupational Health person told me what my reading was for the following day and said it was dangerously high.... I was put on medication...2 months later it was measured again at work when I felt unwell and it was 219/123....so I was sent home again (30 mile drive) and I ended up in A&E

I have subsequently submitted an ET claim for unfair dismissal, victimisation and disability discrimination.

Have you had legal advice from an employment lawyer?

I started suffering from anxiety attacks on the day I ended up in A&E....thought I was having a heart attack

I'm still struggling to establish what happened.

The external organisation took your blood pressure and, based on the reading, advised that you should see a doctor today because of it. But you didn't ask for the reading?

If OH saw you the very next day and advised that you needed to go there and then to seek urgent medical advice then isn't that them providing their duty of care? Did you take the advice?

I really don't think you'll get anywhere on this based on what you've posted, unless I'm missing something. But these are the type of questions I imagine you'd be faced with if it gets off the ground.

Is your disability the hypertension?

Have you had legal advice from an employment lawyer?

This is vital. I'm presuming that, aside from the anxiety attacks which must have been unpleasant, you've not had a diagnosis? Were you made redundant because of the blood pressure?

I'd highly recommend talking this through with an employment lawyer as soon as possible so you can ensure you've got all the facts you need.

They told you to go to the gp immediately twice,not sure what else they were supposed to do?

Yes, hypertension is my disability which qualifies under the Equality Act 2010. I raised an issue regarding behaviour of a Director with HR/Occupational health which was causing me distress and it was shortly after this my job was put at risk. HR expected me to monitor my work email address whilst I was signed off work with work related stress/hypertension....which caused me further stress

I was advised by my line manager that the Managing Director had advised that I should have gone straight to A&E from work (not driven home)..after it happened the first time

If I had had a stroke/heart attack whilst driving I could have caused a major accident. Many fatal accidents are caused by medical episodes.

They were your employers not your mum.

What exactly do you think they should have done differently?

What legal advice have you had?

I've had legal advice, my ET claim was submitted a few months ago....waiting for the next step. Not been successful finding new employment yet.

They're not medical experts though. They advised you to seek medical help. Not sure they need to specify which type?
I think it sounds like the external occupational health people aren't great tho.
They shouldn't ask you to monitor email while off sick tho.

They're not medical experts though
I mean your line manager and ceo here. I wouldn't know what that blood pressure meant. The occupational health people told you to seek medical help that day. Not sure what else they were expected to do. They've given you the info and then it's up to you to act on it. They are only your employers

Hope you've managed to get your BP down.

Based on the information you've given here I cannot see you have any success at a tribunal.

A tribunal is incredibly stressful for a long period of time and could potentially cost you thousands of pounds.

Does your high blood pressure have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities?

Also in what way were you discriminated against?

Goodness gracious. You were told to go and see your GP immediately. Duty of care discharged. The fact that you could not/did not get an appointment until the week after is not your employers fault. If you thought it that important to get an appointment quickly, then you should have been jumping up and down at your GP surgery - not blaming the employer.

Since (according to you) neither the people conducting the tests not your line managers etc., were qualified to diagnose you with anything, then you cannot conceivably blame them for not doing so and therefore not telling you what might happen. You might have got run over by a bus, but it wasn't their job to warn you about that risk, was it? You were told to see a doctor. You didn't. The reason you didn't is between you and the doctor. Nothing to do with the employer.