Hi, and firstly i apologise if i have signed up on the wrong forum as I am in a bit of worry about what to do about things
I have NHL, MALToma, which I understand is low grade, combined with bad asthma (i use sere tide 250 to keep under control) a history of pneumonia, I am guessing this is why i have had the “letter” ? I don’t know what/which criteria has led me to be in receipt of this letter. I am not having treatment for this incurable cancer at the minute and luckily on a watch and wait…
My employer is far from understanding of my condition in any event.
My current contract (I am salaried) shows I get 8 weeks sick pay (three years of service nearly). Like most people with bills, mortgage I am wondering how do i balance this time.
I work “within” the NHS so technically still meant to be working as a Keyworker.
My employer manages sickness absence in quite a menacing and unsympathetic way and now this issue and having to consider whether i am well enough to work, my 50 hour weeks are exhausting as in any case, and I have things thrown art me , coughed at because of my ID badge etc etc,
Sorry if this is the wrong place to post, but if anyone knows where i can get some guidance if i get any entitlement , whether being in self-isolation is different to my situation, and what I can do in the meantime to keep the money rolling in
Hi, I think you have signed up to our community forum at just the right time and you are definitely in the right place and showing the realities of many carers lives. Many of us have had ‘the letter’ and it really affected me, I got a yukky feeling in my stomach, that black and white print, with highlighted paragraphs, looked so stark. A lot of people are showing their employers the letter and instructions, as we are definitely being told to isolate, and you do not want to become a patient with your medical history and also be a drain on the NHS. I am asking a question that I do not know the answer to - Would you be going sick as you are being told by the NHS to isolate so you do not become sick? Your staff welfare department might be able to help you on that one and your financial fears or the Bloodwise helpline details are above and the website is giving reliable, up to date information and factsheets. The main thing is looking after yourself, but financial fears are so, so real. Stay safe and keep posting how you are and what is going on for you.
@jump I’m really glad you’ve joined this forum. I’m sorry to hear you’re feeling worried at the moment and that you’re not feeling supported by your employer. It sounds really difficult for you. You’ve done the right thing in reaching out for support!
As you may know, People with blood cancer may have a compromised immune system and therefore be at a higher risk of serious illness from coronavirus. Those at risk include people who:
currently have any type of blood cancer, whether they are having active treatment or not
have had chemotherapy in the last 3 months
have had a transplant in the last 6 months
are on immunosuppression medication after a transplant
There’s a more comprehensive list of who is in this high risk group, on this NHS web-page - This page has been removed - NHS
It’s these groups of people who are at higher risk compared to the general population, and includes people with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), such as yourself.
As you will see in the letter you have received, guidance for people within this high risk group includes staying at home (shielding yourself) for 12 weeks.
The government recently announced that people who are shielding as per Public Health England guidance are now eligible to be furloughed by their employers as per the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. This means employers can apply for a grant worth up to 80% of an employee’s salary for a minimum of 12 weeks they are being asked to shield. You can find more details here: [Withdrawn] Check if you can claim for your employees' wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme - GOV.UK
If you have concerns about the impact of this or want further information, we recommend contacting ACAS or the Money Advice Service for further guidance on this. https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus
I really hope this information helps in some way?
We have a support line, as Erica mentioned, so please don’t hesitate to give us a call if you want to chat this through further?
Alice is quite right. There should be no job losses at the current time, especially in the NHS. I like you am not receiving treatment for my cancer at the moment but also got a letter, so whilst I feel absolutely fine I have to be careful. I’m slightly “lucky” in that my organisation has closed down completely so I haven’t got much choice but to stay home. I can greatly understand your concerns though. It’s a very worrying time and we should all help each other through this (as if the cancer wasn’t bad enough!). Take care and let us know how you get on.