Crohn's And Shiftwork (poss DDA)

[eforegg]

Wonder if anyone can help.

 

A friend of the family works in the NHS and suffers from Crohns disease, and has done for approx 13 years. She was off sick for a significant period roughly 3 years ago and has been attending occupational health since then. Her role at the time, which incorporated shift work including night shift, was aggravating her Crohns. When she returned to work after her period of sickness her employer decided to change her work pattern so she didn't have to work shifts, to hopefully ease her condition, which it did.

 

Today she was told informally she'll be going back to shift work, the very thing which aggravated her condition. She understandably now getting herself all worked up. She has a meeting with her manager to discuss this but (through the grapevine) been told that shes already being factored into the shift plan for April and that her employer dont se any reason why she cant do it.

 

I would imagine she is covered under the terms of DDA however she is someone who is very shy and doesn't like confrontation.

 

Can someone give some pointers re what options are available to her, she doesn't want to go off sick but to be honest I can see it happening if she doesn't get some help.

 

It seems apparent the shifts are incompatible with her condition therefor her employer would seem to be adding to her condition.

 

Can someone give some pointers about what cover she has and what kind of thing she should be saying to her manager (other than this role is making me sick)

[tomterm8]

The first thing she should go is get advice from her union, and ask if a rep can give her advice / attend the meeting.

 

Getting her doctor to write to the employer, explaining that it may cause a problem should also help.

 

I'll point a couple of experts to this thread.

[eforegg]

Thanks TomTerm, I had mentioned the union angle to her, however it seems her manager is actually her union rep and has no faith at all in her.

 

I've said she should stress to her employer the effect shift work previously had on her and the stress she is now feeling about returning to those work patterns and potentially how serious this can be (I've no real experience with Crohn's but I believe lifestyle has a massive effect on the condition) and also to find out why they are now changing her working patterns

 

You would like to hope her employer would be reasonable but from speaking to her it doesn't sound hopeful.

[poppynurse]

I suspect 'reasonable adjustment' under teh DDA would cover this. What does occy health say about the proposed return to rotation?

 

The other question is does everyone else on that ward/unit (or indeed hospital/trust) do internal rotation to nights or are exceptions made for others? Some wards are more archaic than others in insisting everyone does nights.