Possible medical retirement (IHR)
I've been off work since around the end if March with fatigue / stress. Think I may have posted previously back in March / April.
I work in local government (UK) and pay into the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
Diagnosed with RRMS in March 21 but think I've had MS since around 2015.
Reduced from full-time (37hrs) to part-time (28) hours 4yrs ago due to fatigue. Have changed my working pattern a few times to try and help me. The short story is that it's a very busy, varied and demanding job and I just can't do it anymore due to fatigue (been taking sick days due to fatigue) and cognitive issues (memory, info processing etc.). My manager (whose recently left) was always great BUT neither of us could find any other reasonable adjustments.
OH have said im not fit for work and don't believe I can be redeployed (would have to be a similar role in terms of salary etc.). So we're heading down the ill health retirement route. However, now we're at this stage I'm definitely getting a bit anxious. There are two processes here 1) me getting dismissed on capability due to ill health (therefore becoming unemployed) and 2) the actual ill health retirement process which is not guaranteed!
OH are writing to my GP and Neurologist as I've given them consent to obtain my medical records as part of the IHR process. I've just logged onto the NHS app and can see the GP has responded to OH. Luckily they refer to some 'attached' letters (that I can't see but believe these are copies of letters to me from the Neurologist which are also sent to the GP) as otherwise the GPs response is a bit short and sweet and definitely missing the key issues I.e, mentions spasticity (which doesn't affect my ability to work!) but doesn't mention fatigue or cognitive issues which are the main issues!
I'm thinking of emailing the Neurologist (not the one I saw briefly in June but the one I saw in 2024 and who I've requested to see for future annual reviews) to try to explain a bit more before they respond to OH. Is this a good idea or not? I'm conscious that the independent medical practitioner that will advise my employer on whether I should receive IHR or not (& which 'tier' i should be awarded) will be doing a desk top exercise and will therefore heavily rely on medical records.
All a bit nerve wracking tbh! As if I didn't have enough problems with my nerves...
Hiya! I also work for a local authority in the UK and have been exploring this option but am very early on in my MS life. I've been off work for a year since my first relapse last September. I've been struggling with fatigue and am having a lot of intervention with my occupational therapist through my neurology team; as well as physio, counselling - the works basically 😅. I think you should definitely have a chat with your MS nurse about what is going on and see if they can get their OT involved to advice your work OH in exhausting all avenues with work. You definitely need to ensure that your information with the neurologist is a clear and accurate picture of your current situation. Your MS nurse and neurology occupational therapist should be able to support with this. I'll be honest and say it is very tricky to get tier 1 illhealth retirement as this is usually reserved for people with short life expectancy. It's likely they will offer tier 2 or 3 if they think that you will be able to return to work in the next few years. Tier 1 allows you to get your pension as though you worked to retirement age. If your MS nurse and OT can showcase that it's unlikely you will be able to sustain work then this could help you. The independent doctors they have to assess medical retirement can be tough cookies so you need to make sure your response from your medical team is water right. It would be beneficial for you to have your union involved, if you belong to one.
@RJC123 my MS team are aware of my issues with fatigue. I was prescribed Amantadine in June but unfortunately it did nothing for my fatigue (apparently it only works for about 40% of people). Recently the MS nurse mentioned the Fatigue Management courses and although I haven't done them I have read all the info on MS Trust etc. re fatigue mgt such as take breaks, pace yourself, do things that require more energy at the times when you have it etc. All of which is tricky when you have an incredibly busy and demanding job. Plus, since being off work for months I've noticed just how much an issue the fatigue is i.e., literally going out for a few hours for lunch and being absolutely exhausted afterwards. I am aware of people with RRMS who have had IHR; some at Tier 1. In all honesty I could survive on Tier 2 and if needed i could perhaps work 2 or 3 days a week to supplement this (I just don't think I could work 30hrs in any job; I've given this a lot of thought). Thanks for your response / advice.