Just seen "sick" colleague in supermarket

[Daniellemcg]

We're part of a small team (NHS staff) and are chronically under staffed and overworked.
One team member went off sick earlier this week with what she called the most horrific back pain caused by sciatica. Submitted a sicknote yesterday for 4 weeks. Saw her in supermarket today carrying her toddler and pushing trolley full to the brim with other hand.
She led us to believe she's in agony but was laughing to her toddler and walking normally today. No signs of the pain she's been displaying at work.
She didn't see me today.
Should I say anything at work? Everyone at work has been saying "poor Emma (name change), she must be in agony.. The poor thing.".

Nothing to do with the chronic underfunding of the NHS, people are on trolleys for hours because of the staff that are signed off sick.

I understand what ppl are reporting about pain free windows etc but really carrying a toddler and pushing a fully landed trolley come on. Perhaps doesn't need the full 4 weeks or could have a fit for work on amended duties. Some ppl on here refuse to believe that ppl will lie and milk things for time off. It happens... alot! I would tell the truth oh I seen x in the shop today she was carrying her child and had a trolley full I hope that means she's starting to feel a bit better. Why should u lie let ppl make up their own assumptions and if they want to believe maybe she had a good half hour pain free window let them although I highly doubt that's the case

You can report back to HR all you like but there is fuck all they can do. The woman has been signed off by a Gp who deemed her unfit for work. Don’t be a snitchy bellend, and stay out of it.

OP you’ll get a load of grief here. MN loves slackers. Honestly, if someone was off sick with a broken leg, and you saw them doing a marathon, MN would tell you there must be a good reason for them to to be able to run a marathon with a broken leg!

Wouldn't they opt for a home delivery? What sick person chooses to take a toddler to a supermarket on a Saturday?

Maybe the sort of sick person who can't get a home delivery, not available everywhere. If I was sick and needed shopping I'd have to go to the shop.

What you think is the reason for her sickness absence is not the reason for her sickness absence. GPs don't straight off write sick notes for 4 weeks for back pain, however bad it is initially.

She's off with stress, or some other illness that a GP can predict will require 4 weeks off.

This

Back pain is subjective. If you tell the GP you’re in agony they can’t dispute it.

Are you her line manager? If not you have no business knowing what her sick note says.

OP I hear you.

I cannot believe how many people have jumped to the defense of your colleague! FGS.

I had sciatica for 8 months (I'm a nurse) and yes it does come and go. But really it was there pretty much all of the time. I took painkillers and went to work. Because my husband was out of a job and we needed the money and I'd only just gone back after maternity leave and didn't want to 'blot my copy book'.

Some people do take the piss with NHS sick leave. I've seen it a lot. It's called milking it.

If she was signed off for back pain for 4 weeks, the only place she should be is attending a physio appointment or MRI scan etc of her back or something similar. And no - she wouldn't be able to carry a toddler and push a full trolley with the other hand!! No flippin way.

But I guess it is true that you may not know the full story, and maybe she's off for 4 weeks because of some other reason ie splitting with partner (or something else very personal) so the management may have used that as an excuse? So based on that - I wouldn't say anything unless the full facts are known.

I have a bad back, having spinal injections next month to try to get me through until my appointment at Kings in December (been waiting since last September). I have good days and bad days.

Most days I can work in the office, though sometimes it takes me up to an extra hour to get up & ready in the mornings. I can drive OK, but anything more than about 40 minutes and I'm in agony getting out of the car so traffic jams in the mornings mean I go in late once they've cleared a bit, and if there's a really bad one in the evening it takes me days to get over it properly. I find I can do a certain amount in a typical day, so e.g. if I need to walk much in the mornings then I can't manage in the afternoon.

I do have nearly all my shopping delivered, but my pharmacist is in the supermarket - having meds delivered is hard as one of mine is a controlled drug. If I've had loads of unsuitable substitutions or stuff just not available then I'll have to go to the shops too; that can be a major mission, with rest times planned either side. And getting a delivery slot at one day's notice is virtually impossible!

ie @ChristmasFluff what they said.

What a funny assumption, why would I be simple minded 😁

The woman didnt develop a serious back problem overnight and I think it's safe to assume that her cupboards didn't suddenly become empty, of course she could have arranged a delivery. I also don't live somewhere that you can get same day deliveries, I didn't even know that was a thing, but it's not rocket science if you're struggling with your back to have the common sense to book a delivery is it?

Like you I have zero idea of what the situation is but acknowledging the possibility a person could be skiving is hardly out there

Or sciatica isn't the reason she is off...

She is taking the piss. If painkillers were that good she could work reduced hours. It's people like her that make the government want GPS to stop fit notes.
I have had shocking back trouble in the past with painkillers including Tramadol there is no way I could carry a toddler.
No much you can do about it though people will think it's sour grapes but it isn't.
As for the excuse she might not have had food in, she could have just got enough for a couple of days not a trolley full.

Pain medication working? As a health professional, I would expect more empathy.

It's a saying......

None of your business.

Also she might be on heavy pain killers to be able to move around.

I would reserve your anger for your management if your team is constantly understaffed and overworked...no wonder people go off sick.

It’s concerning NHS staff think like this. She could be on strong painkillers, having a brief respite from the pain. Sciatica also flares up and down -I was plagued with it both pregnancies, sometimes there was no rhyme or reason to it. And guess what? Even people with terrible back pain have to eat and care for their children.

She’s off sick, not an escaped prisoner. Just forget you saw her and get on with your life.

A month? For sciatica? Paid?

Christ, no wonder old people are left to
die in hospital toilets.

NHShame.

Nope, sitting down for long periods of time can cause as much pain as moving about - I need to stand & move about at least every hour. And ideally if you sit all day at your job you should have a dedicated chair which is adjusted specifically for you and never readjusted by anyone else - fat chance of that in the NHS. Long term back issues like mine mean you really need a built to measure chair for work that takes into consideration your height, upper and lower leg lengths, distance from seat to small of the back, desk height, arm length etc.

Loose lips sink ships! Button your beak, unless you’d like it done to you.

I have one of my team off with mental health issues. Obvs id never discuss that with anyone but if she told people it was back pain I'd have no issue whatsoever. Id also not listen to tittle tattle from others.

Not your business. Your colleague is entitled to go to the shop and buy food and other essentials.

She wasn't running a marathon or working as a scaffolder/Ariel circus performer.

She was using a supermarket. Surely even people suffering from back pain still need shopping.

The fact she was laughing?!
I was in hospital for five weeks. Do you think I didn't laugh once the whole time I was there, and neither did any of the others in the ward? I was nearly dying but I could still laugh.

Honestly unless you really dislike her strongly and you can prove she's lying about her illness I'd just forget about it.