Hello, this is my first post on here but I’ve been lurking for quite a while.
I was first diagnosed 10 years ago and continued to work pretty much full time throughout. However, due to prolonged disease, brain fog and depression I’ve reached the end of the line and need to retire. I’m going to apply for Ill health retirement through the teachers pension scheme. I’ve read all the guidance and started planning but would really appreciate any advice or insights from people who have gone through this.
I was on sick leave for 4 months earlier this year and on return had an Oh referral and modified duties. My specialist and GP have told me they will support me and I will be going to go on sick leave again soon.
How have people handled this, should I stay on sick leave as long as possible (I can do so paid for 8 months) - what’s the best ‘strategy’ for this.
Are you negotiating with your Head or with HR. Keep the Head onside and try to depart at a natural break. Most posts in Education require a terms notice plus time for forward planning, advertising of post and recruitment. Can you stick it out that long?
Hi,
I was granted IHR from teaching 10 years ago, I have PPMS. I was on sick leave for about 5 months leading up to diagnosis. I then tried to go back on a phased return not really expecting it to work. In hindsight I don’t think I was ready to give up. Occ Health told me it would work in my favour that I’d actually tried… I only lasted 3 half days when I where I was just observing when I realised life wasn’t going to go back to normal! I went back on sick leave and started the process of filling in the forms.
I got more than 1 person to complete the forms to provide evidence. So as well as occ health doing it I asked my GP, MS nurse and neurologist to fill them in from their point of view. I think this was paramount in IHR going through so smoothly. HR was on my side and they butt jointed my pension starting with when my full entitlement to sick leave ended…
I appreciate things might have changed in 10 years but thought I’d give you my experience.
Sarah
I don’t think it was as long as 3 months. I remember there was a slight delay because occ health wouldn’t release their report until school had paid for it. I requested that I saw all the reports before they were sent in. When I got them all I took them to HR myself (not the school). I think you could see where about the application was in the overall process on TP website. I think it was weeks not months as I’d have been panicking if it had gone on too long. In the end though it didn’t happen until a few months after I’d heard because of being allowed my full entitlement of sick leave.
Hope that helps.
Hi, sorry I don’t come on here often so have just seen your post. I got IHR from teaching last year. It only took a week from me sending in the forms to getting a decision, think this was possibly as it was the last week of the six weeks holiday. I was awarded tier 2 with enchancements which I had not expected. I think it was on here that someone sent me a copy of their information and told me to apply for their 2 but I felt I couldn’t make that decision and as it is pensions decide that. If you want any help I am willing to send you copies of my forms. I also sent in a a personal letter explaining why I was applying for IHR, which I think helped. Hope it works out for you xx