'Company Doctors'...
Discussion
Bit of Background, I have been having problems on and off with my knee since a motorbike crash a couple of years ago (immediatly after I was off work for 9 weeks recovering, tarmac and no leathers is a bit messy).
Last year, I had physio which sorted the knee out for a long time, up until July this year when it really played up. I woke up one morning unable to bend my knee it was so swollen. Emergency appointment at the Docs, and I was signed off work until it was treated.
14 Weeks later, I'm still off, but, I'm going back to work in 9 days (It took 9 weeks to get physio).
Anyway, yesterday I get a letter from HR requesting I attend an appointment with the Company Doctor. Seemed a bit pointless to me, I was at my GP yesterday afternoon and I knew I would be going back to work soon. I'm not 100%, but I'm not far off it.
I spoke to HR, and they 'sold' the appointment to me, on the basis that they wanted to make sure I was fit to return to work. Check my abilities to make sure I'm up to the job, or if they need to alter my job to help. Bear in mind, when they sent the letter, they didn't know I was going back to work so soon.
Now, in 14 weeks, I've been seen by my GP 8 times, so they can keep an eye on my progress, and the examinations are exactly the same each time (I saw 4 different doctors in the time) they check the range of movement, they check the stability (try to push the two halves of the leg sideways, away from each other) and then pull and push my lower leg just below the knee to see if it moves. Then they press round the knee cap to check swelling and tensons and muscles and stuff, all very sensible, and pretty much exactly what physio did. It seems to be the standard way to check a knee.
The Diagnosis from Physio is, ive pushed the knee cap into the cartlidge, which is irritating it, and subsequently weakening the knee, resulting in the pain I've been having for weeks. The Solution, Strengthen the quads to better support the knee cap and prevent irritation. Timescale, 3-5 weeks.
So, Today I attend the Company Doctor, and she examines me. I told her the history, medications, physio, exercise plans, timescales, the works. Then she examined me.
Her Examination?
Can you bend your leg? Good one first, then the bad one. I do both fine.
She tells me I'm ok to back to work. Which I knew, but the appointment was supposed to be a test of my abilities. She said she did test them and she is happy for me to return to work.
Now, I get that she is paid by the company and will always find in the companies interests, but come on, that is just stupid, shes testing my abilities and making comment on my abilities without actually testing them!
I've never had loss of movement apart from that first couple of days, the problem has been extreme pain and once or twice the knee gave way, when i put pressure on it, I struggled to walk for 6 weeks.
I get the impression she didnt want to examine me to thoroughly because she knew she would find the problem, its still there, its just getting better.
I also know, and the real reason behind the appointment is, if she tells the company I'm fit to work, and I, on advice from my GP say I'm not, the company can say, come back to work or we'll cut your sick pay (Its in my contract).
After the examination, she said several times during conversation, 'I am happy for you to return to work'.
What I want to know is, exactly what powers do these 'Company Doctors' have.
If my GP and the Company Doctor disagree, who has the final say? Do they actually have any power? Can she stop me going to work?
It was the way she kept saying 'and I am happy for you to go back to work'. I already knew this, my GP had already made that descision. It was as if she actually had a say in the matter, and quite frankly, after the examination she gave me, I think she'll be lucky to remember what was wrong with me.
Sorry for the long post, but this has been bugging me all afternoon.
Cheers
Stuart.
Last year, I had physio which sorted the knee out for a long time, up until July this year when it really played up. I woke up one morning unable to bend my knee it was so swollen. Emergency appointment at the Docs, and I was signed off work until it was treated.
14 Weeks later, I'm still off, but, I'm going back to work in 9 days (It took 9 weeks to get physio).
Anyway, yesterday I get a letter from HR requesting I attend an appointment with the Company Doctor. Seemed a bit pointless to me, I was at my GP yesterday afternoon and I knew I would be going back to work soon. I'm not 100%, but I'm not far off it.
I spoke to HR, and they 'sold' the appointment to me, on the basis that they wanted to make sure I was fit to return to work. Check my abilities to make sure I'm up to the job, or if they need to alter my job to help. Bear in mind, when they sent the letter, they didn't know I was going back to work so soon.
Now, in 14 weeks, I've been seen by my GP 8 times, so they can keep an eye on my progress, and the examinations are exactly the same each time (I saw 4 different doctors in the time) they check the range of movement, they check the stability (try to push the two halves of the leg sideways, away from each other) and then pull and push my lower leg just below the knee to see if it moves. Then they press round the knee cap to check swelling and tensons and muscles and stuff, all very sensible, and pretty much exactly what physio did. It seems to be the standard way to check a knee.
The Diagnosis from Physio is, ive pushed the knee cap into the cartlidge, which is irritating it, and subsequently weakening the knee, resulting in the pain I've been having for weeks. The Solution, Strengthen the quads to better support the knee cap and prevent irritation. Timescale, 3-5 weeks.
So, Today I attend the Company Doctor, and she examines me. I told her the history, medications, physio, exercise plans, timescales, the works. Then she examined me.
Her Examination?
Can you bend your leg? Good one first, then the bad one. I do both fine.
She tells me I'm ok to back to work. Which I knew, but the appointment was supposed to be a test of my abilities. She said she did test them and she is happy for me to return to work.
Now, I get that she is paid by the company and will always find in the companies interests, but come on, that is just stupid, shes testing my abilities and making comment on my abilities without actually testing them!
I've never had loss of movement apart from that first couple of days, the problem has been extreme pain and once or twice the knee gave way, when i put pressure on it, I struggled to walk for 6 weeks.
I get the impression she didnt want to examine me to thoroughly because she knew she would find the problem, its still there, its just getting better.
I also know, and the real reason behind the appointment is, if she tells the company I'm fit to work, and I, on advice from my GP say I'm not, the company can say, come back to work or we'll cut your sick pay (Its in my contract).
After the examination, she said several times during conversation, 'I am happy for you to return to work'.
What I want to know is, exactly what powers do these 'Company Doctors' have.
If my GP and the Company Doctor disagree, who has the final say? Do they actually have any power? Can she stop me going to work?
It was the way she kept saying 'and I am happy for you to go back to work'. I already knew this, my GP had already made that descision. It was as if she actually had a say in the matter, and quite frankly, after the examination she gave me, I think she'll be lucky to remember what was wrong with me.
Sorry for the long post, but this has been bugging me all afternoon.
Cheers
Stuart.
After 10 yrs of working as a physio in professional sport, I now find myself working in occupational health and on-site physio so have lots to do with company OH services and company doctors.
I think you are reading a bit too much into things. Your GP is the final arbitrator of whether or not you are fit to return to work. Usually the "company doctor" is there as a go-between to make sure that the company do whatever it needs to do in order to facilitate that. Sometimes that means you come back on restricted duties for a week or so, sometimes it means you only work half-days rather than full days for a period.
In the main, after the consultation the company doc just writes a letter to the personnel dept stating, in the blandest terms in order to maintain the confidentiality of your medical records, something about your condition, whether it will or won't impact on your ability to do your job, and what the company needs to do (if anything) to accommodate your return.
If your condition was caused by something related to your work, eg an elbow injury due to repetitive processes at work, then there is usually advice to the company that similar injuries may occur and suggestions re altering working practices to minimise this.
I think you are reading a bit too much into things. Your GP is the final arbitrator of whether or not you are fit to return to work. Usually the "company doctor" is there as a go-between to make sure that the company do whatever it needs to do in order to facilitate that. Sometimes that means you come back on restricted duties for a week or so, sometimes it means you only work half-days rather than full days for a period.
In the main, after the consultation the company doc just writes a letter to the personnel dept stating, in the blandest terms in order to maintain the confidentiality of your medical records, something about your condition, whether it will or won't impact on your ability to do your job, and what the company needs to do (if anything) to accommodate your return.
If your condition was caused by something related to your work, eg an elbow injury due to repetitive processes at work, then there is usually advice to the company that similar injuries may occur and suggestions re altering working practices to minimise this.
renmure said:
After 10 yrs of working as a physio in professional sport, I now find myself working in occupational health and on-site physio so have lots to do with company OH services and company doctors.
I think you are reading a bit too much into things. Your GP is the final arbitrator of whether or not you are fit to return to work. Usually the "company doctor" is there as a go-between to make sure that the company do whatever it needs to do in order to facilitate that. Sometimes that means you come back on restricted duties for a week or so, sometimes it means you only work half-days rather than full days for a period.
In the main, after the consultation the company doc just writes a letter to the personnel dept stating, in the blandest terms in order to maintain the confidentiality of your medical records, something about your condition, whether it will or won't impact on your ability to do your job, and what the company needs to do (if anything) to accommodate your return.
If your condition was caused by something related to your work, eg an elbow injury due to repetitive processes at work, then there is usually advice to the company that similar injuries may occur and suggestions re altering working practices to minimise this.
yep i'd agree with what Renmure , also building a good rapport with your Occ Health team can work wonders in terms of channelling managers in the correct direction.I think you are reading a bit too much into things. Your GP is the final arbitrator of whether or not you are fit to return to work. Usually the "company doctor" is there as a go-between to make sure that the company do whatever it needs to do in order to facilitate that. Sometimes that means you come back on restricted duties for a week or so, sometimes it means you only work half-days rather than full days for a period.
In the main, after the consultation the company doc just writes a letter to the personnel dept stating, in the blandest terms in order to maintain the confidentiality of your medical records, something about your condition, whether it will or won't impact on your ability to do your job, and what the company needs to do (if anything) to accommodate your return.
If your condition was caused by something related to your work, eg an elbow injury due to repetitive processes at work, then there is usually advice to the company that similar injuries may occur and suggestions re altering working practices to minimise this.
AN important thing to remember is that even if Occ Health Staff are paid directly by your employer the still have to stick to the relevant GMC/NMC/HPC rules ( as appropriate to their profession) regarding professional standards and the like, and it's infinitely preferable having OH doing these things rather than inHuman Remains ...
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