Occy Health Appointment

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petmad
petmad Member Posts: 252
edited 9. Jul 2009, 05:43 in Benefits and Working Matters archive
I have an appointment for Monday, they have not yet sent for reports to my Rheumy or GP. What do I expect from this appointment? Will he/she examine me? what questions will I be asked? Sorry but have never been to occy health before and this is about my early retirement. Linda

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  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    My first occy health appointment was with a nurse, but she could'nt do anything and passed me over to a doctor. They basically asked questions about my condition, asked me to sign to allow my GP and the hospital to release X=rays and test reports and to ask the doctors to write reports. You can opt to see them before they are sent, but this delays things. I let them go ahead without viewing the reports. I'm not sure this is a good idea, it may help you to see them and check what is really being said. I took my husband with me for support.

    Hope all goes well for you. Occy Health were helpful in my case.
    Love Sue
  • petmad
    petmad Member Posts: 252
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Thanks, I will probably let my Rheumy and GP just send theirs in, I have to trust that they will stick to their guns and support my application re access to my pension. I already know my rheumy has written to my GP about this. Linda
  • markc1
    markc1 Member Posts: 253
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I have seen occy twice and they just asked questions and are usually helpful...but take it from me ask to see whats written about you because it is not always right and if it delays things then it does it pays to be cautious!
  • eckstardeluxe
    eckstardeluxe Member Posts: 1,192
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Usually they don't physically examine you, but I have been asked to bend over and touch my toes once. They usually ask a great deal of questions, the meetings I've attended have usually been about an hour and the GP's I saw were at a private Hospital where we live. They were very kind and seemed to be on my side.
  • petmad
    petmad Member Posts: 252
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Thank you very much for your advice.
    I have written a run down of my history which I take to medical appointments so will make sure I take it with me so I give all the right answers.
    I will ask for copies of all reports written which will give me the opportunity to take issue with any glaring omissions or misinformation.

    I am just a bag of nerves about it though, my life is so limited just now ( I am sure you all know what I mean), so this is not helping me remain in the coping mod.
    It will be all over soon. Linda
  • colinb
    colinb Member Posts: 66
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    good luck on Monday, Linda...will be thinking of you. let us know what happens.
  • petmad
    petmad Member Posts: 252
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Well anti climax, only seen by the nurse as first step in process. On looking at me she immediately advised that I would not be suitable for redeployment and she filled in the requests for medical reports for me to sign. I have chosen not to see them prior to submission as I don't want to hold the process up, but will write to the Rheumy and my GP requesting a copy as I want a copy of all the information sent to or by occy health. Just waiting now till they are in and I go to see their doc. Linda
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I found my first OT appointment amazing. They were so friendly and helpful. They start off by giving an assessment, Measuring grip, measure your hand when you put it into a fist. They made splints for me so that I could use them at night to stop my hand going into a fist, to keep the hands straight. They supplied me with Comfort Cool mits. And then, they gave me a series of appointments for ulta sound, massage and wax treatment on my hands. They were lovely girls.

    I have not been going since January because i have bought myself a Wax bath (champneys) and I massage my hands when I think about it. I use the splints at night. They can only supply you with a couple of sets of the mits. Then that's your lot really. But they do show you how to help yourself.

    I think we must be luck in this area.

    Joyful
  • ninakang
    ninakang Member Posts: 1,367
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    My Occy Health dept are fantastic and I'm glad there are other people in this boat. I haven't seen the doctor at work but he has seen my reports from the nurse and confirmed that I am covered by the DDA.

    I can see them whenever I want to and they are always really kind and helpful and very interested in talking to me about, not just the RA, but my life in general too and how it affects me at home as well as work.

    They offered me an office downstairs as my office is on the 3rd floor but I don't need that (yet) and also, how would I boss my team about from 2 floors below?! We're getting a new fire station built next year anyway so we'll have lifts and that so I'm hoping I'll be OK till then. They've also got me a lighter weight laptop to use as the one I had was far too heavy.

    I can't sing their praises enough :-) And yes, people in our situation are very lucky, I agree.

    Nx
  • eileenc
    eileenc Bots Posts: 118
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hello - I have just got my Occupational Health appointment for the 27th of this month and I was really worried about it until I read the replies to your post - my employers have said that they are expecting redeployment to be an option for me but can't go down that route until the O.H have seen me. I am employed as a special needs nursery nurse working with 12-18 yr olds with complex needs in a special school - very physical work. I have struggled for more than a year and my head-teacher has been very good in letting me off with horse-riding (use the term loosely - what I mean is me running alongside a horse holding onto a pupil - and being nearly 50 and overweight I wasn't much cope at that anyway). I am reassured that I won't be going into 'the dragons den' now. I'm so glad to have found this forum and for all the support that you give each other - and indirectly to everyone else reading the posts. I got the impression from my employers that I should know what to expect at the O.H appt - so thanks to the original poster and all the kind people who took the time to reply. Bye for now. Eileen x
  • dean76
    dean76 Member Posts: 112
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I saw O.H yesterday and the lady was lovely. I was apprehensive a few weeks ago not knowing what too expect. They said apart from bending down low and standing for prolonged periods of time I can continue with my job and use a stick/crutch to help my balance and ease the pain.

    The report also said that as I have Arthritis in both feet and nothing further can be done to help apart from pain relief and ant-inflammatories that 'I am probably covered by the DDA'. The O.H nurse said I defenatly was. I was surprised the report said 'probably'.


    xxx
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi, It makes such a big difference to how you feel when the doctors treat you like a person and not just a hospital number! It must have made you feel better about dealing with occy health, it the future. Mine was very helpful and suggested all sorts before retireing me sick. So it can be benifical to you too. Love Sue
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