Ill-health Retirement Advice NHS employee

clare451

Hello All, just joined and looking for advice please. I’m 55 and have worked for the NHS for 33 years. I have been in the NHS pension scheme for the same amount of time. 

I have generalised degenerative osteoarthritis and have had a hip replacement and two knee replacements within the last 4 years. These have helped with my pain but my mobility is still not that good. I also have OA in my wrists, hands and shoulders. I treat patients and have constant pain in these whilst doing so. I am under physio and a hand specialist for this. My manager has made what reasonable adjustments she can, but 75% of my role is hands on clinical work. 

I am thinking of applying for ill-health retirement, but hear this is very difficult to get. Has anyone any advice for me please as to whether it is worth exploring? Many Thanks.

janer1967

Hi and welcome to the community 

Ill health retirement is very hard to get as basically you will be getting your pension early and as such have to evidence you are not fit to work again until you reach retirement age 

They will also look at other roles you could possibly do within the NHS 

You could just take early retirement but you will sacrifice some of your pension 

It maybe worth looking into ill health it's your choice 

There are other threads on here in recent discussions from others asking same about nhs they maybe few pages down the list 

I'm not knowledgeable on NHS pensions process just know in general how they work 

clare451

Thank you for your advice 😊

Wibbles

@clare451

I managed to get ill health retirement from my local authority (similar but not identical to your situation) on grounds of being unable to mobilise myself around with no assistance - it took almost 9 months before they accepted my claim and at first rejected it on grounds that I should use Access to Work - but ATW were not allowed on the works premesis (sounds weird but true) - so I was finally accepted on tier 1 - the highest level.

I, similar to you - suffer from knee problems - having had a knee replacement in 2016 which failed - and hyperextension causes great pain when I try to walk - I am in a wheelchair to go anywhere

Are you in a trades union ?

If not - JOIN and make them aware of your problems - take advice and follow it !

clare451

Yes I am a member of the College of Podiatry and we have a union. Our departmental rep is very good, so I will speak to her. I am still able to get around and do not need a wheelchair, although I have a folding mobility scooter for occasions when there is too much walking for me. I wouldn’t expect to get it for my lower limb problems, but now my hands and wrists are affected and I need them for scalpel work and lifting and bandaging legs and feet, I have decided to perhaps apply.
I’m glad you were awarded it eventually!! Thank you.

SueHeath

Morning @clare451 i am in the council pension, which i believe is the same sort of pension.
Think the only thing you might have a struggle with is your age, sorry to say, as it does cost the pension scheme more money if you go early, i have not long found this out.
I have been of work ill for the last 12 months, HR and myself have realised that with my diagnose of my spinal condition i will have to retire on ill health grounds, but i am lucky i only have 1 year to go before my retirement age any way.
I have not long had my assessment with OH luckily their report which i had two days after assessment agrees that i am not fit to do my job or any other within my area.
So now this report has been sent to my firm and the pension, i have been told they might want to see all my evidence, but this only happened last week so i have to see how long this will take to hear back.
This process so far has taken about three months if i am remembering right ha ha.

clare451

Thanks Sue, how it all works out for you. I’m in 2 different NHS pension schemes from when we had to move over onto a new scheme. My main one where the bulk of the money is, has a retirement age of 60, whereas my other one is 67. I know that in Tier 1 you can take your pension without reductions, whereas in Tier 2, you have an enhancement paid as though she worked until for retirement age. Tier 2 would cost the a lot yes.