Very Stressed With Work

[phleb]

I spoke to supervisor yesterday regarding time off for detailed 20 week scan late october. I told her this so they have plenty of time for cover. She said she will discuss with manager and see if i can have it or not.

Today she came to me and said, i am leaving the service short and the manager has offered to phone and re arranged my appointment, or i can cover/swap someone else's shift. I said i tried to re arrange, so he cannot do that, as my consultant needs to see me at that appointment, and its vital i attend on the date given, due to busy times.

This has stressed me out, as now i am told to cover a sat shift, which i don't want to do, but feel i have to. I had no time off during school holidays, as it was inconvenient. Every time i ask for a/l its an issue.

I thought maternity appointments would not be an issue as they are important. It seems im wrong.

I suffer from low blood pressure and headaches. I collapsed at work on Friday last week, due to the heat on the wards, i asked if i could stay in the dept, but they made a face, so i carried on.

I have an appointment next tuesday with midwife regarding blood pressure and headaches, due to the stress today, i forgot to tell manager, so now i feel i will have to cancel, i am on the verge of tears.

[phleb]

I have also decided i'm not going back to work for the NHS anymore. I have worked with them for 9 years on and off, and they have no compassion, feelings for staff.

[DJHawkes]

get your GP to sign you off. have you worked there long enough to get discretionary sick pay, i think you started earlier this year didn;t you?

[bednobs]

ok, so what's your question phleb?
it doesn't sound all that unreasonable to me, what they have asked you to do. However, in employment law they must give you paid time off for antenatal appointments, so perhaps just point this out to them. However, i would expect you to work, go to your appt, then come back

[bednobs]

problem is phleb, you will find it the same (and probably more so) in the private sector

Even if you had told them today, you are giving them 1 day's notice!

[phleb]

I work mornings, and scan is 9.35 and i see the consultant after, which could take up to 2 hours wait. So that's my morning gone. My question is where do i stand with appointments during work time which are unavoidable?

[phleb]

DJ i have been there a year in october.

[bednobs]

ok then, they must give yo paid time off

[auntflo]

If you work for the NHS they will have a written policy on this (the appointments and the adjustments to working conditions during pregnancy) - you will probably find it on the HR section of the intranet at work. If pointing out the relevant sections of the policy to your manager doesn't work, then make yourself an appointment with occupational health (you do not need to be referred by your manager to see them, as is often believed). They are usually helpful, and take the employee's side in my experience.
Good luck, and try not to stress too much!

[lcg]

i apologise....apparently, you can take paid time off to attend antenatal appointments (antenatal = before birth), but obviousloy have to go into work afetrwards.... the gov.uk site states:

Pregnant employees have legal rights - including paid time off for antenatal care, maternity leave and maternity pay.
Pregnant employees have 4 key rights:

paid time off for antenatal care
maternity leave
maternity pay
protection against unfair treatment, discrimination or dismissal
‘Antenatal care’ isn’t just medical appointments - it can also include antenatal or parenting classes if they’ve been recommended by a doctor or midwife.

Employers can’t change a pregnant employee’s contract terms and conditions without agreement - if they do they are in breach of contract.

It’s illegal for employers to refuse to give pregnant employees time off for antenatal care or refuse to pay their normal rate for this time off, but fathers don’t have a legal right to time off to accompany their partners.

with this in mind, i suggest you go back to your employers and say, ahem....it is my right to do xyz.....how do you wat me to do this? with such info, you should be able to come up with some kind of compromise as to how you can attend yur appointment and go back to work on the same day (if that is your choice), or that they take the time off your working hours and negotiate some way that recognises your right to attend these appointments. it cannot be taken as annual leave or flexi time (or anything else for that matter). they must know this and are trying to blackmail you into working instead. it is obviously, therefore, not your problem how they cover these hours, and is something that they have to cover/organise themselves into managing. you say you have given as much notice as possible - go back to them with this information and stand firm....please igtnore my other answer (i can only blame the drink!)

https://www.gov.uk/working-when-pregnant-your-rights

[auntflo]

As an example, here is the link to NHS Leeds' policy. All NHS organisations will have a similar one. If you look at sections 13, it clearly states that you are entitled to paid leave for appointments (including antenatal classes and relaxation classes). Section 14 talks about risk assessments, and finding suitable alternative working arrangements.

http://www.leeds.nhs.uk/Downloads/Corporate/Board%20Papers/2011/May/Policies/NHS%20Leeds%20Maternity%20Paternity%20Adoption%20Parnetal%20leave%20April%202011.pdf

[lcg]

p.s. for everyone else, i have asked for my first answer to be deleted.....as i know it is not right. in my defence.....i have drunk a bottle of wine (hides head in shame!) x

[phleb]

lcg thats fine, easy on the wine now....lol i will look at intranet policy on monday, and highligh some stuff to shove under managers nose. thanks guys/girls xx

[Peter Pedant]

lcg - not easy on the wine
but easy on the posting on Ab when you are stoked up

Phleb it is obvious you should be in a union
alot of these qustions arent that difficult given that pregnancy happens such a lot even in Health employees

[lcg]

do check out and maybe print off some of the info on the link i have provided as it is the 'official' voice of what your rights are....like i have said, i think your employers are well aware of what your are entitled to.....and have decided to push their luck anyway. if you cannot get the appointment rearranged, then you go. it is as simple as that - they are the ones who need to ensure their service runs effectively, not you. the notice you have given is probably more than adequate, given your circumstances, and if you are agreeing to go into work after your appointment, then they are being unreasonable and probably unlawful as well. at the end of the day.... you and your baby come first - attend the appointment, make it clear to them you are doing so and let them sort out the 'details'. god....you don't know how difficult that was/is to type!!!!

[woofgang]

is this your first job in the NHS? I am not sure if it s still the same but it used to be that length of service was calculated using all the NHS employment you had had, not just the employment in your current trust or organisation.

[lcg]

p.s. the intranet details will be almost identical to the statutory details outlined on the gov.uk website. it wouldn't hurt to check both, but if you are due to attend a 20 week scan, then it should be just that - a 20 week scan. not 21 or 22.....like i said, the employer should know that you are entitled to paid appointment time that are incorporated into your normal working hours. any suggestion otherwise could be perceived as harassment by your employer.

[lcg]

p.s. there is no way that they would be unable to provide cover (even if it were sourced out to an agency) in october if you have notified them now - imho, you have given them plenty of notice for this appointment, and the onus is on them to provide that and let you attend the appointment. you have essentially done them a favour by trying to organise cover for your shift, but now it is down to them to do so. they can't say that they are unable to look at the pool of other employees and rejig the rota in order to maintain a certain level of service - the preson that you spoke to is either inept, unaware of the laws protecting you as a pregnant employee or just being a difficult so-and-so. either way - it is up to them to organise their employees. you have nothing to worry about - tell them you know that you are entitled to paid time off to attend the appointment, have tried to cover it (but failed, unfortunately), given them due notice of your intended absence, and that it is their responsibility that you have PAID time off to attend the appointment before you return to work (depending on what happens during a'detailed' 20 week scan. if you will need the entire day, then you need the entire day - find out from the antenatal service what this appointment will entail, and then pass this onto your employer. even if you require a whole day off, then they are obliged to provide it. if you require further support to talk to your employer, i suggest you approach a union - imho unison is far better than the rcn for nurses (useless!!!). i would never advise that you practise as a nurse without union support - you never know when something comes along that challenges your practice.....and for £14 a month or so, you are covered fo4r every eventuality. they help no end, particularly when you find it difficuot to communicate with your employer, and this is obviously difficult for you. phone them first thing on monday morning to help advise and support yu....in my experience, unison have been invaluable and i thoroughly recommend them (i am a psych nurse).

[Peter Pedant]

I didnt wanna say join Unison
nut now I can - Join Unison !

I found them quite good - as a union co-rep of another related health union.

Depends very much on the official at the time tho'

[ I took over a case pro bono as his union rep seemed to be in cahoots with his employer, something I have seen now and then over thirty years]

but when they are good - they are good
this is one of ours
£1m for NHS manager Elliot Browne who was targeted for his colour ...
www.telegraph.co.uk › Health › Health News
10 Jan 2012 - Elliot Browne, 55, was given one of the highest payments ever awarded for racial discrimination in a workplace following the ruling by an......


£800k.

so join up

[lcg]

i do too, pp....this is something that would be perfect for union back-up. in my experience, the rcn were utterly useless, and unable to provide local, consistent support, while unison had on-site/consistent/regular local representatives that are trained extremely well in employment matters. i don't mind shouting about how good they are - they represented me today in a sickness hearing. this is the very thing they would be interested in getting involved with. it sounds like your employers are a) a bit rubbish; and b) sorely trying it on with you - either way, they are treading seriously dodgy ground. if you were to approach them with union (unison) support, my guess is they would crap themselves; toe the line immediately; and not make any more silly demands from you during your pregnancy. sometimes, employers do need to be reminded that they have to support their employees over and above all of the daily stuff they get bogged down in. if you mention to a union that you are struggling to communicate with your employer and this is contributing to you feeling that you are not able to remain in your current post at this time (due to their stress and inability to support you at this time), my guess is that they will bite your arm off for membership and the opportunity to remind them who is actually boss.