Sick record when trying for new job in NHS

[FidgetFairy]

Hi,

I have a poor sick record over the last 2 years, mainly due to being dealt a very bad hand with Covid; I have had Covid multiple times (all can be proven) and as a result of Covid I had 2 significant health issues one needing hospitalization and nearly died and surgery with the other, thus resulting in extended time off.

I decided to leave my job completely and concentrate on getting better and putting everything in right with my health. I am on the right medication, regularly checked etc.. and all is good. It was the right thing to do.

I now want to find an appropriate position in the NHS but I am concerned with the amount of sick leave I had to take and how this will impact my chances.

I am a senior nurse, good at my job, award winning etc.. but feel like all my achievements, knowledge and experience are going to be over shadowed by my sickness record, none of which could be helped as it was Covid and then Covid related (not long covid)

to add to issues my sickness reasons were not correctly recorded on the NHS employee system (ESR), which I am trying to get changed.

I don’t want to get through all the processes and checks with the NHS recruitment side, just for any offer to be withdrawn, as it is a long process to keep restarting it. Not to mention disheartening.

I plan on being transparent in interview and explaining but I do keep thinking… is there any point? Will I just be banging my head against a brick wall? have I lost everything I have worked for? Should I offer more references to aid my application?

I feel very angered that due to Covid, which you have to take sick leave for, and then the complications it’s caused, could now still impact greatly on my life.

any advice appreciated.

I think all you can do is be open at interview. It will depend on the Trust and the manager how your sickness record is viewed, but definitely highlight that you've spent time working on getting well to try to ensure you have less absence in the future.

How much leave have you had? In 4 years in the NHS I only ever saw one person rejected due to sick leave and they had had 175 days off in 12 months and 300 ish in 2 years.

11 instances, about 150 days in 2 years.

I think if you can give reassurance that your health is now under control you’ll be okay.

Sorry to hear you've been so ill with COVID complications.

My trust didn't record covid as sickness absence until 2022, it was put as special leave. Were your absences all at a time they were being recorded as sickness?
As you say it's important to have it properly recorded.

As you know, NHS usually ask for number days sickness absence in last 2 years in the reference. Application forms also ask reasons for leaving your last job so you'd need to say ill health. You are very likely to be sent for OH assessment to look into all your health issues, what treatment you've had, how your health is now and any ongoing issues which may affect you in a new role. But this would only be AFTER an offer of employment.

TBH in your situation I'd sign up for bank work initially and see how you get on. Once you've done that for 3 months you have an easy way to demonstrate you've recovered enough to manage the demands of the job again. So even if referred to OH it's much more likely to be a formality.