Bookworm, I'm not angry and at no time have I suggested any legal challenge - but I'd disagreed with Seftonview who suggested they might look for another GP and not bother with a formal complaint. I haven't suggested that madamfluff go in all guns blazing, but that she ask why her parents have been denied access to the GP and challenge it with head of practice if necessary.

Godpikachu Paidless is not seeking our sympathy for his predicament, just seeking some advice. Sometimes we can forget when we get so wrapped up in our own lives trials and tribulations, that there are others worse off than ourselves. Keep your chin up. Hopefully, things will turn round for you.

Ahh, couldn't get to your Uncle Remus link to read the quote. So, you move on to another GP and find he has the same outlook and attitude as the one you just left but now it takes two bus rides to get there. People aren't allowed to interview the head of practice before registering with a surgery; you just go to the nearest or most convenient. Madamfluff was told that if she complained her parents would be taken off the list. No way is that acceptable. If such a decision is not challenged, the GP practice will go on to treat others the same way - perhaps next time it will be your relative.

To be honest, if the manager has done this dirty deed, they would have taken advice from IT and it is likely that a copy of this keylog file is already in their possession. I think most employers will allow some private use of phones/internet - they just don't want people taking the micky. Tell us, DeviantScotland, how you know it was your manager who installed the program?

Hang on a minute Seftonview. You earlier suggested that it may be an idea to change GPs. That sounds more like thinking with your feet than your head. You may think it not worthwhile to complain as it will not sway the GP, but challenging opinions and attitudes is a good thing. It makes us think and question ourselves...and just sometimes things may change for the better.

Good for you madamfluff. As the optician is unsure of the eye disorder, he rightly referred your dad to his GP. Your GP can refer him to a specialist. It sounds rather like the PN is filtering the GPs appointments. I'm sure there are a great many problems that they can deal with, but ultimately it should be an absolute right for the patient to make the appointment with the GP. I wish your dad well. Seftonview, silence gives consent. There is, I believe an Equality Bill in process. My attitude towards descrimination is already formed, I do not need a law to know right from wrong.

Maybe there is no such law at present, but if the GP is turning elderly patients away because of their age, it is discrimination. Why should they change their GP? It may be close by and convenient. Challenge what is unacceptable. If this is age discrimination, I would be making a formal complaint. Perhaps 'phone Age Concern to see whether they have any advice. The goal should be to make age discrimination as unacceptable to the public psyche as race and sex discrimination.

Yeah, worth a try, but let's be honest, the management and HR are quite aware that they are paying this person less than the original employee. It's an employers' market.

You must be very stressed. From now on, when you do communicate with your employer, make sure it's written communication. Any meeting they arrange must be at the convenience of both of you. Obviously, if you are sick, now is not a good time. Keep a diary. I'd urge you again to contact whichever association is responsible for your disability. You will need support and someone with an objective head (reading posts in this forum I'm not sure a union rep would be my first choice). Your mind will be whirling with your employers' misdemeanours and failings and it will be useful if your witness is someone who has access to legal advisors. You need to construct a coherent case in a logical order, that contains facts that you can back up with evidence. On the point of the review, your employer should have given you a copy.

I just want to throw a question in. The salaries for jobs are usually influenced by the market demand. Thus in the 80s/90s IT consultants were being paid huge sums, but they don't any more. If an employer re-advertises a job, would he not be checking the current market rates and pay the 'new' employee accordingly? Can you argue with that?

Have you actually challenged your boss on this and they admitted it? If so, what reason did they give? If not, I would be checking the event log for installations around the 13 Nov to see if a username is associated. Like Godpikachu says, keyloggers can be installed by many methods - perhaps even inadvertently by yourself. Good advice to uninstall software/reghost asap and change all passwords

Well, after the treatment my parents received from my local hospital, I too believe that age discrimination is alive and kicking in the NHS, but like Bookworm says, you need to prove it. Can you make the appointment on behalf of your mum or dad? If the appointment is refused ask why and to whom you are speaking so that you can challenge it in writing to head of practice. Don't let your parents be threatened into not making a complaint. One thing I've learned over the last few years is that there is definitely no such thing as an expert. Even if you think the GP will know more than the PN, they both don't know everything. You should never be embarrassed to return to the doctor several times and ask for a second opinion if you feel your 'problem' is not being dealt with effectively.

godpikachu - you haven't just described the world of call centres - you've described the world of work!

Silverbird I'm sorry to hear you have gone off sick. Hopefully, less stress and environmental issues should mean your eczema improves. I hope your issues get sorted soon.

There is one person at our local hospital (no stand in when she is on holiday it seems) who is supposed to be responsible for access to medical records. I think they were probably thrown into the post when the Act came into practice and received little or no training - mind it probably takes a time to read it all, let alone understand it. My point is always check things out for yourself (in this case the Information Commissioners Office website) before making your request. More often than not, you'll be more informed than they are.

Well done t88mme. Justice!

Well, I'm sorry, management have a responsibility to staff. Your friend the senior manager has just exacerbated your distress by giving you this information, but seems to be completely unwilling to address or make any attempt to resolve the situation. So you go off sick? Is that what you really want? If things do not change, will you ever be able to return? I despair. Friend or not, you need to get these issues resolved and if that is not possible, you need to look for alternate employment.

If you haven't appealed yet, you need to do so. Out of interest what has happened when you have been on holiday or off sick? Do you work remote from your management? Is it IT support you provide to a third party? If you can get hold of a copy of the backup policy, read it and note what the advisories are for failed backups. Read your job description. What are your responsibilities in relation to the backup procedures? I do believe you have been used as a scapegoat by some very incompetent managers, who, I would guess, have no background in IT. You have worked for this company a number of years. Knowing that the hardware/software was expanding and changing, it was their responsibility to ensure that you were adequately trained. They should also have put into place proper escalation procedures and tested, with you, the disaster recovery. You had already highlighted the lack of training and raised questions over the backup integrity. They have not responded. Together with this, if you are a remote worker, they should be contacting you regularly (I would say daily) to ensure that you were ok and coping and that all was well in a technical sense. You should take somebody with you to the appeal. Normally this would be a colleague, but you work alone. Do you belong to a union? You mentioned that you are registered disabled. I have no knowledge of the law in this area and don't feel that you are being victimised because of your disability, but wonder whether you can contact somebody who can offer you assistance. My advice is don't attend without a witness. I would be interested to know how this progresses. I think you have been very badly treated and it is your management, not you, that deserve the dismissal.

Sounds pretty awful. A senior manager has actually said that you may move back to the workshop office and that you should 'watch your back?' Was is intending to do about this? He cannot ignore it. It's not only environmental conditions that cause eczema, but often stress will make it worse and you are already showing symptoms of this. Do go back to your doctor. Quite frankly, if the lily-livered senior manager does nothing, I would write to HR, tell them what the senior manager has said to you (guess you didn't have any witnesses). You cannot live with the constant anxiety that you will be moving to an unsuitable work area and checking over your should ever five minutes. It's not healthy. Keep a diary incase of future grievance proceedings.

...then good luck. I thought if you pay union fees then they are obliged to help. However, I've never belonged to a union in my life and probably, after reading this posting, won't ever join one.

You work late too! The old boy network is alive and kicking in every area of our lives. Well, if I was in your position, because I'm stubborn and hate unfairness, yes I would probably take action. You'll be bitter if you do nothing, but equally bitter if you do and don't succeed....and possibly make an enemy in the process. Watch your back!

Are you saying you're intending to go to a tribunal hearing on your own AgathaChristie? I've a feeling you'll be a lamb to slaughter. The opposition's lawyer will run rings round you - that's what they are trained to do. Can you not cancel? Are your union not obliged to help you regardless of the chances of winning? If you do go ahead, good luck, but I really think you won't win against any silver tongued lawyer.

Were you invited to a disciplinary hearing? Have you got hardcopies of your requests for extra training, especially if on the backup hardware/software? I wouldn't think that ECDL covers such specifics. Do you work alone? What kind of escalation path had your management put in place if you were unable to solve a problem, software or hardware? Did you have any disaster recovery procedures? Was there any policy regarding backups - the cycle, full or incremental, storage, what to do when failed? If so, who defined the policy? Can anyone corroborate your statement that line management never met with you?

Are you saying the job you would like is working for the guy who seems determined that you will not be selected for interview? If you leapfrog this guy and go directly to his manager, I wonder what your life will be like. Yes, I know there are rules of ways that employees should be treated, but let's be honest we've all be in a position where we know the dirty is being done on us but we just can't prove it. Are there no other opportunities outside of your current department? Aren't office politics a fine thing!

You can only assume that the company has something to gain financially by such action. If you attend the meeting, take a witness; somebody you trust and who can take notes. Admit nothing. They will have to prove their accusations. The very fact that others who are being made redundant are threatened with disciplinary too smells decidely fishy. Who'd want to work in a company like that?! Good luck and try not to worry.