NHS advice needed! New job and sickness

[MrsC20]

I work for the NHS and open to OHS. I have applied for a new job and got it this week and have unfortunately became ill with a virus this week. I thought i was ill on Tuesday due to interview nerves but I was wrong!

Anyways, I have been off this past 12 months due to anxiety and depression, Covid, Viral illness, bearevement (parent died) and now this virus.

Under the advice from my manager, I have emailed my potential new employer to explain my underlying conditions of IBD and Anxiety / Depression along with my bereavement as I want to be honest. I explained that my anxiety escalated at the end of last year due to my father being critically ill and a friend dying under bad circumstances (it was suicide btw). I stated I now have these conditions under control e.g. specialist help etc....My manager will state in my reference I have underlying conditions and due to them I am unable to meet the criteria in the absence policy etc... I also said in the email that I am off right now due to flu and it's not linked to my conditions.

I know my two referees will give me glowing references but worry my absence record will affect me getting this job. Does anyone know what happens if your references flag any concerns regarding absence?

Similar happened to me, twice. I've had shit luck with my health over the past decade btw!
Moved from care to NHS, there wasn't anywhere to detail sickness absences on the form iirc. Got a call from the area team lead when she'd got my reference from a previous employer. They'd given number of days employed and number of days absence or something like that, anyway she called to see if I could explain it. Well, I had a miscarriage that nearly killed me and I also had meningitis.. Oh she says, when can you start?!

When I changed job to a new trust I had an occ health interview over the phone as part of the recruitment process. I'd had several sickness absences in my previous NHS role too, but they were explainable. No issue. I've since been diagnosed with a chronic condition and occ health/HR as well as my team manager have been nothing but stunningly supportive. I'm waaay over the absence level guidelines but nowhere near close to losing my job over it.

Yours is all well documented and completely justified so try not to worry.

Thank you for your reply and sorry to hear about your past miscarriage. I just don't want to come across as abusing the system when I am always genuinely off. I should maybe give myself more credit as I returned to work soon after my Dad died and feel I have coped well. I just really want this job and not to look bad. I think after being bed bound for a week gives you too much time to think! Not good when you suffer from anxiety!

Is impossible to predict the outcome, but the norm would be a referral to OH for an assessment. That would result in advice to the recruiting manager. But in the end they will have to look at all the information available, hopefully discuss it with you and reach a decision.

It would be unfair to say that there's nothing to concern yourself about. Absence is a concern. But being honest is the best policy, and you have been. Continue to be. Hopefully it will be OK. Good luck with it

Thank you.