Early retirement and consultant's letter

Slosh
Slosh Member Posts: 3,194
As some of you know I am now on sick leave prior to making an application for early retirement from teaching on health grounds.
As part of the evidence I need a letter from my consultant to support this.

I next see my rheumy consultant in two weeks time. Do I ask her about this at the appointment or contact her in advance? Should I make a list of the specfic areas of difficulty that the DfE will be looking for?

Will there be a charge?

Thanks
He did not say you will not be storm tossed, you will not be sore distressed, you will not be work weary. He said you will not be overcome.
Julian of Norwich

Comments

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Let me preface what I'm going to write by saying I haven't a clue :roll: but, if it were me.....

    If time is not of the essence I'd prefer to ask the rheumatologist in person. (Would you get the consultant by phone in advance? Or just a secretary?)

    To save a bit, possibly, on time, I'd go with a typed list of the relevant areas of difficulty and maybe even say how they are problematic. But I'd ask if she wanted it rather than foisting it on her willy nilly.

    Payment? I've never had this situation crop up with a consultant. It did twice with my GP. They had a list of costs for various things stuck to a wall. I just asked "How much do I owe you?" and, on both occasions, got the reply "Nothing." Maybe the list was there to deter trivial requests. But I'd guess that each surgery / doc has their own rules on this.

    I hope it all goes through smoothly, Slosh. Good luck :D
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Slosh
    Slosh Member Posts: 3,194
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks Sticky, it is just one of the "hoops" to struggle through, jumping through hoops not really something I do these days!

    I will try and get some advice from my union too.
    He did not say you will not be storm tossed, you will not be sore distressed, you will not be work weary. He said you will not be overcome.
    Julian of Norwich
  • slomo
    slomo Member Posts: 180
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Slosh,
    I've not been around for a while, busy being retired! That and trying to clear out ten years worth of stuff as we're hoping to move at the end of the year once my husband retires in November.
    I'm certainly finding that being retired means I'm not as anxious about things - no more work hoops to jump through ( or scramble through) and​ no worrying about the GP maybe not giving me another sick line - not that he ever suggested such a thing - GP and Consultant have been great.

    I worked for the local council and it took me from the end of August, when I first said I wanted to apply for ill health retirement, until 20th February, which was my first day of retirement.
    I had to have a OH meeting first of all and they asked for my permission to contact my medical team for information. It was nearly Christmas by the time they'd done that and OH got their reply. In the meantime I'd explained to my consultant what I was doing and that they'd likely be contacted. My consultant even printed me out a copy of the reply they'd sent to OH. It was basically a summary of my situation, what medication I was on and how they thought I'd be affected by working. It ended by saying that they supported my application for ill health retirement.
    It was about a month later that work contacted me about it and then the next two or three weeks went very quickly as I accepted the medical officer decision re my retirement and then it was only a couple of weeks till my retirement date. I was lucky enough to get my full pension, hopefully​ you will too
    I'm sure, like me, you'll find it a great relief to 'get it over with'
    Wishing you all the best for a happy retirement,
    slomo xx
  • Slosh
    Slosh Member Posts: 3,194
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you for that Slomo. I have my first "battle", so to speak, I had a very oficious letter from school today, stating I had reached the trigger for a meeting with the school business officer and HR, which stated that I was expected to takesteps to improve my attendance or disciplinary procedures will be started.
    I am going to email back on Monday (and copy in my local union rep and also my union pensions expert), to remind the business manager that I have an entitlement of 5 days sick leave a term which makes part of the letter wrong, and that as she is aware of my ongoing health/disability issues I find the letter insulting. Basically it's just a standard letter but I think it should have been reworded to suit my individual circumstances. She also omitted to include a copy of the policy. I am not happy with the HR rep as at our previous meeting she made some very derogatory remarks (such as did I have any proof that I was disabled...I just pointed to my crutches which I felt like throwing at her) which I did complain about but she told me I had "misremembered" so if the meeting has to include her again I am either going to take someone in with me to take notes on my behalf or record it.

    I will also state that I wish to apply for early retirement on health grounds but cannot start this until I have been seen by OH.

    And so the fun starts!

    Sorry for the rant.
    He did not say you will not be storm tossed, you will not be sore distressed, you will not be work weary. He said you will not be overcome.
    Julian of Norwich
  • slomo
    slomo Member Posts: 180
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Slosh, just a quick post to say hope you got your email off to your work telling them you're wanting to apply for ill health retirement and hope they're leaving you in relative peace and quiet now. (I didn't get called about absence meetings once I said I wanted ill health retirement). Fingers crossed they'll let you get your full pension. Sending positive thoughts to you, slomo x
  • Slosh
    Slosh Member Posts: 3,194
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks. I took advice again and then emailed back to say my union's advice was that sickness absence procedures were not appropriate and it should be possible to make a referral to OH without one. He also said that if they did insist on proceeding to formal procedures they would not be able to get rid of me before the end of the year as the resignation date to leave earlier finishes at the end of this month...and lets face it the longer I am still under contract the longer they have to pay me and it will add a bit more to my pension. He also told me who to contact if they insist on moving to formal sickness procedures.

    I also suggested that as the standard letter is not approriate there should be a seperate one to use for cases like mine.

    Will try and take someone in to minute take for me or will make an audio recording after the things that were said to me before.

    Fingers crossed.
    He did not say you will not be storm tossed, you will not be sore distressed, you will not be work weary. He said you will not be overcome.
    Julian of Norwich