Dr refusing to sign off work

[Bananatree]

Anyone else's Dr said they're 'legally not allowed to sign people off work for anxiety/ocd caused by covid'?

Surely the cause doesn't matter if you can't eat or sleep, keep having panic attacks and can't leave the house?

Edited October 2, 2020 by Bananatree
Inaccurate confusing title

[OxCD]

52 minutes ago, Bananatree said:

Anyone else's Dr said they're 'legally not allowed to sign people off work for anxiety/ocd caused by covid'?

Surely the cause doesn't matter if you can't eat or sleep, keep having panic attacks and can't leave the house?

No. Mine did (though I’m back now). That sounds very unfair.

Edited October 2, 2020 by OxCD

[Bananatree]

Thanks for your reply. It just doesn't seem to make any sense. Just to be clear I want to go back to work and I'm working very hard on my ocd to achieve this. 

It surely can't be true that a mental illness triggered by the pandemic is somehow not allowed or recognised. 

[OxCD]

58 minutes ago, Bananatree said:

Thanks for your reply. It just doesn't seem to make any sense. Just to be clear I want to go back to work and I'm working very hard on my ocd to achieve this. 

It surely can't be true that a mental illness triggered by the pandemic is somehow not allowed or recognised. 

I find it hard to believe. Get a second opinion eg. another dr from same surgery. Or ask for more info from that GP.

[BelAnna]

11 hours ago, Bananatree said:

Anyone else's Dr said they're 'legally not allowed to sign people off work for anxiety/ocd caused by covid'?

Surely the cause doesn't matter if you can't eat or sleep, keep having panic attacks and can't leave the house?

Yeah no, that's B.S. - it is absolutely legal to sign off for OCD, anxiety and/or stress. 

Arrange an appointment with a different GP at your Medical Practice. If you've not previously been diagnosed with OCD then they might resist writing 'OCD' on your sick note but they should sign you off with stress/anxiety; if you have an OCD diagnosis then they absolutely should sign you off with it. 

It might be best not to mention the Pandemic and just say that due to various severe life stressors, you are currently experiencing an acute exacerbation in your OCD and unable to function sufficiently to work at the moment. 

Edited October 2, 2020 by BelAnna

[Bananatree]

Thanks for your replies. I didn't go into detail but what happened was the receptionist refused to let me talk to a Dr. It was a nurse who spoke to me (in a very disinterested way). She said I needed to 'make an effort to go to work' and texted me details of a counseling service.

I phoned again the next day and insisted, begged and cried to talk to a Dr. The receptionist refused again and got the same nurse to phone me back. Eventually the nurse said she'd 'compromise' and get a Dr to sign me off for 2 weeks even tho it's illegal.

I agree BelAnna it's surely B.S. Yes I have been previously diagnosed with ocd. Thanks for the advice, I'm looking into changing to a different  doctor's surgery.