NHS Staff Sickness

[Franco5]

Franco5 said:

My partner reports this evening that the same two usual suspects are absent again. One for the next 3 weeks and the other the next 4 weeks however she fully expects these periods to be extended as time moves closer to potential returns to work for the pair.

No accountability, no consequences and the gravy train rolls on for those motivated to exploit the system.

So the latest is that the nurse returned two weeks ago but the speech and language therapist AHP lead is not expected to return within the next two months. She sounds the worst everyone knows she is existential unhappy and disappointed with life despite getting Grade 8 pay for sitting at home.

For anyone wondering this is in an NHS mental health foundation trust so not acute hospitals.

[Ruskie]

Franco5 said:

Franco5 said:

My partner reports this evening that the same two usual suspects are absent again. One for the next 3 weeks and the other the next 4 weeks however she fully expects these periods to be extended as time moves closer to potential returns to work for the pair.

No accountability, no consequences and the gravy train rolls on for those motivated to exploit the system.

So the latest is that the nurse returned two weeks ago but the speech and language therapist AHP lead is not expected to return within the next two months. She sounds the worst everyone knows she is existential unhappy and disappointed with life despite getting Grade 8 pay for sitting at home.

For anyone wondering this is in an NHS mental health foundation trust so not acute hospitals.

You don’t know the full circumstances. If you do, then your partner is breaching confidentiality.

[Zoon]

Ruskie said:

You don’t know the full circumstances. If you do, then your partner is breaching confidentiality.

Not really, she hasn't given details of a patient's illness or named any names.
I'm not sure saying "someone at work is off sick again for three weeks" is breaking any laws.

[rawenghey]

I know someone who works for the Police and it's the same thing there.

People off on "stress" for 6 months at a time seems to be the most common one, and predictably those doing it are the ones who are completely inept and do almost no work when they are there anyway. Any attempt to discipline or put on a performance plan is met with the usual claims of bullying, discrimination, mental health etc.

Absolute farce.

[Countdown]

If it’s that easy it’s surprising that more people aren’t doing it.

[Franco5]

Public services are eating themselves with their sickness/woke policies. I’m hoping that everything collapses under the weight of supporting the unproductive employees and that some kind of reset happens because they are coming after you for more and more tax to fund the lack of productivity. I’m hearing more stories now of the personnel that have brought in from abroad going on long term sick as they are learning what they can get away with that is never an option in their native countries.

[Gas1883]

My wife ( nhs ) had to go to a meeting over being off 3 times in x amount of time , 2x covid where she had to test & send them the results( she was not allowed back to work until testing negative for so many days ) & 1x shingles .
Waste of time , policy was you could work whilst having Covid , and how do they think you can work with shingles

[Gas1883]

Sorry , couldn’t work

[Gas1883]

My wife ( nhs ) had to go to a meeting over being off 3 times in x amount of time , 2x covid where she had to test & send them the results( she was not allowed back to work until testing negative for so many days ) & 1x shingles .
Waste of time , policy was you could work whilst having Covid , and how do they think you can work with shingles

[Franco5]

williamp said:

Published stats here

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/public...

Does anyone honestly believe those figures they’ll be falsified like all the other NHS stats are. You do know that they manipulate waiting lists numbers etc right?

[Franco5]

There’s a nurse off for months at the moment but is well enough to run their e-commerce jewellery and clothing business.

[moorx]

Franco5 said:

There’s a nurse off for months at the moment but is well enough to run their e-commerce jewellery and clothing business.

If you (truly) have evidence of this and feel strongly enough to assert it on a forum, you can report it to the relevant Trust/Health Board Counter Fraud department. They will investigate.

[MickC]

moorx said:

Franco5 said:

There’s a nurse off for months at the moment but is well enough to run their e-commerce jewellery and clothing business.

If you (truly) have evidence of this and feel strongly enough to assert it on a forum, you can report it to the relevant Trust/Health Board Counter Fraud department. They will investigate.

But that's the trick isn't it, to find some ailment that means you cant do your day job (and nursing I would expect is physically full on) but you can do other things like sit at a computer and pack a box or two. That's why depression/anxiety is one of the biggest reasons, you can be depressed but a holiday or outside hobby is fine, in fact its good for you. Not saying everyone with depression or anxiety is taking the mick, but it certainly allows you to be off work but carry on your outside work life.

[21TonyK]

Not read the thread but I can guess the sentiment. Don't feel alone, its exactly the same in schools.

[andyA700]

moorx said:

Franco5 said:

There’s a nurse off for months at the moment but is well enough to run their e-commerce jewellery and clothing business.

If you (truly) have evidence of this and feel strongly enough to assert it on a forum, you can report it to the relevant Trust/Health Board Counter Fraud department. They will investigate.

We both know that isn't going to happen, because most of the "stories" on here are just fantasies. The exposure to Covid for NHS staff was absolutely horrific, but of course, there will be numerous people on here, coming to tell me that it was no worse than a cold/didn't exist etc.
I have had to visit the hospital for various emergencies/tests, half a dozen times in the last four months, more than ever before in my lifetime. I have witnessed the number of patients on trolley beds waiting in corridors for hours, nurses constantly moving around seeing to patients.
What I haven't witnessed, are nurses standing around, idly chatting to each other or doing "tictok dances".

[Forester1965]

Sickness isn't the biggest shocker.

That's reserved for NHS staff 'retiring', triggering their pension payments, then returning on 'reduced hours' whilst seeing their pay remain the same or increase. Double bubble.

[shed driver]

Forester1965 said:

Sickness isn't the biggest shocker.

That's reserved for NHS staff 'retiring', triggering their pension payments, then returning on 'reduced hours' whilst seeing their pay remain the same or increase. Double bubble.

And yet private sector workers retiring and then doing the same job as a "consultant" is lauded by many.

I took retirement from the NHS after 36 years. Too many assaults and permanent back injuries was a huge driver in my decision. What actually broke me was the early days of Covid when I had to do a WhatsApp video call at 4 am so that an old lady could say goodbye to her daughter before dying.

The daughter was grateful her mum wasn't alone. I still have very graphic intrusive thoughts about this incident. If I was still working in nursing would I be one of those "milking the sickness policy?"

SD.

[djc206]

Forester1965 said:

Sickness isn't the biggest shocker.

That's reserved for NHS staff 'retiring', triggering their pension payments, then returning on 'reduced hours' whilst seeing their pay remain the same or increase. Double bubble.

How is that shocking? It’s not unusual for people to have both pension and employment income at the same time.

[Forester1965]

djc206 said:

Forester1965 said:

Sickness isn't the biggest shocker.

That's reserved for NHS staff 'retiring', triggering their pension payments, then returning on 'reduced hours' whilst seeing their pay remain the same or increase. Double bubble.

How is that shocking? It’s not unusual for people to have both pension and employment income at the same time.

It's shocking because the NHS pension is unfunded (paid out of taxation, no bearing on investment performance of the pot). It's also absurdly generous. The situation encourages staff to retire, return and reduce their hours, meaning the tax payer gets less whilst paying a lot more.

[djc206]

Forester1965 said:

djc206 said:

Forester1965 said:

Sickness isn't the biggest shocker.

That's reserved for NHS staff 'retiring', triggering their pension payments, then returning on 'reduced hours' whilst seeing their pay remain the same or increase. Double bubble.

How is that shocking? It’s not unusual for people to have both pension and employment income at the same time.

It's shocking because the NHS pension is unfunded (paid out of taxation, no bearing on investment performance of the pot). It's also absurdly generous. The situation encourages staff to retire, return and reduce their hours, meaning the tax payer gets less whilst paying a lot more.

It’s an accrued benefit that they’ve earned. That’s is funded from taxation is neither here nor there.

The tax payer gets something, if they just retired we’d get nothing at all.