Hospitalised situation

[Ladymuck2022]

Hi,

I don’t know if anyone can gauge how my employer will react in possibly longer term (a council) I have been there just over a year and been a returner after a break of 2 weeks I think put through on continuous service as returner recently. (not sure how correct this is, may need to explore this definitely at another time)

I did not foresee coming into hospital for surgery when I last logged off the work laptop, don’t have it to hand to log on to check out policies. Whether I’m getting paid is the least of worries I’m more concerned if the job goes. In for a long fight with Cellulitis.

I’ve been making the sickness call at least twice a week, they are incredibly understanding thus far but I’m can’t help get fearful for the longer term, the only saving grace is it is largely a work from home role. The hospital have come out with a suggestion I work from here but that is not practical with fall buttons and nurse on call buttons going off very frequently. I’m from a contact centre environment with emphasis on call after call minimal wrap time office hours)

I was trying to get home for next week but I am not standing and been bedbound for 10 days, although the positives are I had a picc line inserted yesterday under a local to making receiving IV antibiotic’s a lot easier, when it was spelt out I could get home quicker as a district nurse will come in and administer the medication. Dad is building a proper desk and getting a foot rest.

Do you think the council will get occupational health involved? My only experience of being in hospital before was whilst working for a parcel company who did this but in an actual non remote job and were kind of hell to deal with.

I just don’t know how this is going to work, being remote I haven’t seen first hand what my current employer could do, I only know of one colleague off sick who didn’t return after 4 weeks out who very much intimated to me at the time their choice not to return and I think they were sincere.

Totally aware I’m under 2 years potential drama. Open to the employer visiting me in hospital and 110% put myself in the shoes in a particular line of callers.

I don’t know what your last paragraph means. They should get occy health involved to see how they can support you back to work. You should be in a union. Any communication from your work should be clear and unequivocal. Make absolutely sure you are adhering to absence reporting policy. You can ask to have a conversation with your manager about your concerns.

You need to ask work to send of copy of sickness policy to you.

You have a PICC line, you’re on IV antibotics and you’re bedbound. I don’t think you realise how unwell you are. Don’t rush back to work. From an absense monitoring point of view on absence is better than 2 or more short ones. Ask the dr when it’s advisable to go back to work, the answer will be not yet!

I imagine a council is good employer in this situation and occu health is not an organisation to fear.

You’ve been really poorly - work may involve occupational health but only so as to best support you back to work. Just maintain good communications and fillow
medical advice. Get well soon.

Thank you, I just don’t know if they now take me back to a new starter almost as I was always unsure how I could have continuous service. No new contract was produced, my equipment got stored in the bosses locker as he had a feeling I’d be back (whilst I was on a 2 week break which they put down as unpaid leave) now I now thank the stars I had a change of mind over new job.

I don’t fear occ health so much as they really protected me no end with the courier company. The council has lifts and ramps into the building for the one day in three weeks I go there.

The hospital are like well you are in a side room, we can just shut the door, know how kind of vital the job you are doing is. Only today I’ve had to listen to a full on complaint by another patients relative. I cannot imagine in what world a caller to the council wants to be subject to that.

It is crazy even my local leisure centre refused to put my membership on hold without the surgeon/ doctor team writing to say I cannot do exercise. It has been an eye opener. They since changed their mind after my parents took in graphic proof.

Do not work in the hospital. You are bed bound and being treated. Your employer would be breaching their insurance, for one thing. Let them know your situation and concentrate on yourself. What would make you feel better? Napping, a nice magazine, or listening to your music, for example. Take care x

Email and ask for the absence policy. I’m not clear exactly what it is you are worried about? Is it that they will sack you?

@Ladymuck2022 the public sector can be very pragmatic. Someone who returns two weeks after resigning is usually treated as continuous service with two weeks unpaid leave. It’s far easier on systems etc.

I agree with pp working whilst in hospital is a no go. Once you are home re-assess the situation. I agree with a pp that co-operate with Occ Health and consider asking for reduced hours initially.

I think you need to realise how ill you are OP. Life is going to tiring and difficult while you recover and regain your mobility. Noone will think you’re trying to just get out of working.

Thank you, I’m just so worried how it looks
especially when I was last in the office I overhear they were going to need to watch out for people using the weight loss injections and I irrationally fear people will say I brought it on myself even though I never went near any dodgy black market and was making progress but I’m digressing here as the exact root cause isn’t known and I’m annoyed at myself.

I cannot sleep in here, yesterday I achieved 5 hours the night before just over 1 hour.
I try and break up watching tv programmes, reading magazines, reading up medical stuff in between trying to get shut eye as I find that easier.

I joined a cellulitis support group and have had someone try explain what recovery looks like.

Thank you all again so much.

I have a chronic disease and worked for a local authority for 17 years. They tend to be ok with one long absence where you are clearly ill so I would just concentrate on getting better. My advice is also don’t rush back before you are ready because any absence after that might trigger warnings.

If you have continuous service you will likely still be paid also.

Get well soon!

I work for the council and think they're usually good about sickness. You can't work from hospital, they won't allow that. It has to be a private secure wifi.

I was ill for six to seven weeks last year. I wasn't referred to OH as it was just shy of the no if days where it's triggered. Even then I think it can be discretionary I.e. if your manager is concerned about attendance. I have spoken to OH before though and they were really nice, just thinking of ways to help.

So if you're ill in hospital I really wouldn't worry. As long as there's a good prospect of you being able to work again you should be ok. I don't think you said how long you'd been off?

Try not to worry about work. Look after yourself my lovely and focus on getting better soon xxx

How are you feeling today? X

OK I feel silly but I cried down the phone yesterday morning to the employer who said take as long as you need love. The most important thing is the hospital are treating you ok. (think one of the team leaders may know about cellulitis)

I sort of converted the whole work from hospital as a funny memory.

Thank you for caring x much appreciated.

Not silly at all! Hope you get home soon x

It's so horrible being that ill. They just want you to get better, in your own time x

I'm currently in hospital with cellulitis too, feeling very frightened to be honest. Don't worry about work make recovery your priority how are you feeling?

Thank you

@ZippyBlueViper I’m so, so, so sorry, are you on the mend now? I’m still in hospital seems on the ward there is quite a few of us, even now the direct next door room patient has it too.

I sent an email really early this morning as the majority of antibiotics seems coming up 11pm for couple of hours and then early starts from 5 or 6am and then called in at expected time today and was cheerful to work, explaining all what I’d done but they have come back saying please let’s speak now only when you are home.

Dad has set up the rollator I got and it does look nice. They were putting up a key safe box today, Mum or Dad kind of want to take turns to stay with me in the spare bedroom or have a care company come in.

If it makes things easier ask for a longer sick note.

I was suddenly hospitalised for 3 weeks and had surgery - they just gave a me a one month sick note. I think it's easier for the employer because then they know to leave you alone to recover.

No one has issued a fit note, I was hoping that would be sorted on discharge whether I’m presuming to much, I do thank you for helping.

On day after surgery where I was still hallucinating and or tripping out I foolish allowed my Mum to call the employer and now I am scared witless my Mum will have repeated what the medical team now may have got wrong.

My Mum and Auntie had a heated argument just days after my op where my auntie said don’t say that condition.

I need PALS I think and to directly learn what Mum said in the first instance to my employer.

I’m so so scared what I viewed tonight, brother spoken to me. I want to whale and not stop.
Can offer the employer a drugs and alcohol test, don’t know what else to do.

Yes they can sort you the fit note on discharge, that's when I got mine. Just make sure to ask for it as well as they can be busy. Ask for how long you need.

Rest up, dont worry about what was said or not. Medication and illness take their toll, main thing is recover and rest.

You don’t get fit notes when you’re in hospital. You just give your employer a copy of your discharge letter if they need something, most don’t ask.

You can - the registrar did one for me after surgery. I'd been off suddenly for 3 weeks already. The discharge letter just proves you were in there for that time already. Fit note covers recovery.

Are you concerned that your employer might view the suspected cause of your cellulitis poorly?

You’ve not actually said that, but some of your comments seem to suggest that.

One step at a time. If you’re concerned about what happens next, ask your work to arrange for you to talk to someone from HR about how things like sick pay, and return to work assessments will work. You can confirm your length of service when you talk to them. They’ll be keen for you to be resting and recovering. Working from hospital was a daft idea, but sometimes we need to go through those. If you’re bored, there might be an option to chip away at bits of online learning to keep your brain occupied but no employer would have any expectation that you do that. But might be ok with you doing it for your sanity.

Councils are good employers when it comes to things like sickness. Hospital admissions are usually straightforward, no one expects anything, theres no suspicion of faking it, and it’s generally finished once you’re fully recovered. Whereas the sickness types that tend to cause issues are the reocurrent ones.