Returning to work

metalmick
metalmick Member Posts: 14
Hi Everyone its been a while since I was last here. I have spent this year taking lots of morphine for my hip pain so havent been very conected to the world
I have been off work for two years now. due to the OA in my hips In march of this year I had my left hip replaced, and in september I had my right one replaced.
Everything seems to be going very well with them. The only difficulty has been getting the movement back in my legs as before the ops I could only move them a few inches at a time.

I saw my GP last week and he said that in about a month when I am completely off the morphine I would be fit to return to work, and that I should go right away and tell the Jobcentre this.

I was planning on looking for part time work after christmas and personnally feel is a bit soon to start looking right now. I still have arthritis in my shoulder as well as another health problem

I have not used a jobcentre in about twenty years, I have heard it is very different now and was wondering what help I could expect and also how my incapacity benefit would be affected

Thanks. Mike

Comments

  • brokenwings
    brokenwings Member Posts: 5
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Dear Mike,

    Jobcentres have moved on a bit, and in many ways are much more client-centred. Your first task should be to ask the local Jobcentre for an appointment with the Disability Advisor for your area. He/She has access to a lot of resources and you'll be given plenty of time to tell your story, get advice and plan ahead. Mine was a good listener, and talking things through allowed me to come to terms with my situation, and get feedback on what was realistically 'do-able'. They'll also have full info on available benefits, local employment schemes and training ops available only to people who have had disabling health problems.
    Best wishes for your future, Mike.
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Mike
    how do you feel about all this then??
    Sounds a bit scary to me after being incapacitated for so long. I would be in a state of shcock although i do feel reasuured by Brokenwings description of the jobcentres now. They soiund much better than last time I called in.
    Do let us know how you get on
    Toni x
  • markc1
    markc1 Member Posts: 253
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    frogmorton wrote:
    Hi Mike
    how do you feel about all this then??
    Sounds a bit scary to me after being incapacitated for so long. I would be in a state of shcock although i do feel reasuured by Brokenwings description of the jobcentres now. They soiund much better than last time I called in.
    Do let us know how you get on
    Toni x

    Brokenwings is right,nothing to be afraid of...they have security guards in them these days as well!!! :roll:
  • metalmick
    metalmick Member Posts: 14
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Dear Mike,

    Jobcentres have moved on a bit, and in many ways are much more client-centred. Your first task should be to ask the local Jobcentre for an appointment with the Disability Advisor for your area. He/She has access to a lot of resources and you'll be given plenty of time to tell your story, get advice and plan ahead. Mine was a good listener, and talking things through allowed me to come to terms with my situation, and get feedback on what was realistically 'do-able'. They'll also have full info on available benefits, local employment schemes and training ops available only to people who have had disabling health problems.
    Best wishes for your future, Mike.

    Thank you Brokenwings for your advice, and encouragement. I need to go into town on Thursday, so will pop into the Jobcentre then. I promise to let you know how it goes.

    Mike
  • metalmick
    metalmick Member Posts: 14
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you Brokenwings for your advice, and encouragement. I need to go into town on Thursday, so will pop into the Jobcentre then. I promise to let you know how it goes.

    Mike
  • metalmick
    metalmick Member Posts: 14
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    frogmorton wrote:
    Hi Mike
    how do you feel about all this then??
    Sounds a bit scary to me after being incapacitated for so long. I would be in a state of shcock although i do feel reasuured by Brokenwings description of the jobcentres now. They soiund much better than last time I called in.
    Do let us know how you get on
    Toni x

    Hi Toni
    Thanks for your support, it is a bit scary after so long, Not sure what to expect, I plan to go in on Thursday so will let you know what happens
    Mike
  • ikesother
    ikesother Member Posts: 171
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    HI there, I completely understand as Im now in the same boat as you. I had a THR in August, and Im now sort of back to normal, not completely normal but hey :wink: Ive been unable to work for nearly 4 years, so went down the job centre hoping to get some info/advice. I was told eventually, by the "floor manager" that they didnt deal with my sort of situation there, I had to ring a "Pathway to Work" centre up and make an appointment with them. Times have definetely changed since I last used a job centre :shock:
  • penfactor
    penfactor Member Posts: 366
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Mike
    Definitely ring first to make proper appointment, so's you don't get discouraged as ikesother was. It is the Disability's advisor's job to help you - mine is lovely & they will not expect to go back to work full time at all. There is a special group called The Shaw Trust who they will also put you in touch with & they can also help get you extra physiotherapy they say.
    I have just had a right hip replacement & need my knee doing so have been to one Pathway to Work interview so far but am trying to stay positive about it all. It's sooo tough isn't it?
    love Pennie x
  • metalmick
    metalmick Member Posts: 14
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Everyone,
    Thanks all, for your advice, I went to the jobcentre and the lady that helped was very nice. She gave me number and told me to contact working Links. I guess thats similar to your pathways to work.

    I have been putting off phoning but I did eventually pluck the courage up today. I spoke with a very nice man called Richard. He basically said that I could get help whilst I was on incapacity benefit, and that I could work a small amount of hours without affecting the benefit for up to a year, and to think what sort of work I want to do.

    I have an appointment to see him next Friday. I think I am going to have to be strong in my mind what I can, cant and wont do, so that I dont get railroaded into something unsuitable. One thing he did sugest was looking at the www.do-it.org.uk volunteer website for ideas.

    I will let you know how things go next week

    Mike
  • ritwren
    ritwren Member Posts: 928
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Glad to hear it went well for you. Hope you find something you'd like to do.
    rita