Adult ASD and occ health

Well it seems to me that your company doesn’t have your best interests at heart! If I were you I would just quit it and find another job. Now, about your aspergers, I heard that apple cider vinegar might help. Although I am not entirely sure how but it’s a traditional remedy so I don’t think there’s any logic to it… In case you find vinegar to hard to drink even when diluted with water, then I guess you can check out https://druggenius.com/nutrition/apple-cider-vinegar-gummies-uses-benefits-and-side-effects/ These apple cider vinegar gummies are supposedly just vinegar but with a pinch of sugar and much easier to consume! I seriously think that you should give them a try. I mean you will never know! Sometimes the cure comes from the most unexpected things

Whoops, just realised the age of the post. I suppose the info is still useful if anyone wants it!

Occ Health jsn't as terrible as it sounds. Isn't necessarily useful either. I had some mental health issues leading up to my Autism discovery, my appointment resulted in me getting two weeks off to take a break (which for me was necessary - doesn't mean you would need nor be required to take it), she told me she couldn't do anything about how my managers conducted themselves (which was the issue) but she was able to advise that I was fit to do my normal duties which had been denied to me.

Kind of a partial win for me as it got my managers to back off a little.

The thing that has helped me, is a Wellness Action Plan. You may be able to find it on your Companies' intranet. It's effectively a document with a series of questions that explain what affects your mental health, what improves it, what might trigger an issue, how it manifests and what to do about it if it occurs. It's not just for Autism. It can be used for anyone.

It's effectively a written dialogue between you and your manager about how to manage your mental health so they can get the best out of you. My guess, is they are constantly bringing it up at your reviews because they think it's being supportive. They are trying to tick the 'I care about my staff' box, but like my managers who think that if they tell me to 'take my time' when my ptsd has been triggered, they haven't a bloody clue what they actually should be doing.

If you provide them with the WAP, it will lay some groundwork that they can then use to offer appropriate support as and where needed. It was recommended to me, that it comes out at every review and is updated regularly,  which makes sense as you will change as you discover things, or when situations change. If you can't find it on your work intranet,  you should find it on the Mind UK website. Sorry, I'm not in a position to track down the link. It is good that they are willing to discuss it, so look on it as a positive.  It will strengthen your position if you can demonstrate what affects your work (it's often little things that can be adjusted) rather than leaving them to think that your some kind of ticking time bomb - always the impression I got from my lot!

I understand they are there to help but my point was, I had declined an occ health referral and was rail roaded into it.  The doctor actually couldn’t believe that I had been referred when I clearly didn’t want or need it at that time. She was actually disappointed that that is how I was treated especially in the field I work in.   Fast forward to a new department and I am in a very supportive environment with a great supervisor who trusts that if I have any issues I can come to her any time and she will help.  

Are you being serious? You are suggesting autism can be cured with apple cider vinegar? Sounds like a sales pitch to me. 

No

It can be frustrating for the autistic employee and can go the opposite way with some employers. For example, I’ve been in my role 20 plus years with the constant stress, anxiety and difficulties I have in the office due to my autism. I’ve felt like quitting many a time when it’s been too much. I told my boss when I was “officially” diagnosed 3 years ago thinking I may get some help for my struggles in the office and received the reply “what’s the reason you’re telling me?”. It was never mentioned again. I would have welcomed an assessment from OH to see if they could help. Although I appreciate that you state that you feel you have no difficulties so don’t see the point in it. 

Have you ever heard about something called invoice factoring?

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It annoyed me as well when I was referred to Occupational Health both before diagnosis and post diagnosis.

Pre-diagnosis all that the occupational health doctor said was that I was 'fit for all duties' and that he couldn't comment on any possible autism assessment.  No mention of how I might be affected, no recognition that what I had been suffering with at work (severe anxiety and depression) might be partly due to how I was being affected through my autism by changes at work.  No mention that my (verbal) communication difficulties might also be affected by my autism.  No mention that I might find the way the office was structured (open plan) difficult, no mention of how the noise in the office might affect my work, no mention of the fact that an 'open' kitchen area in the office was sending smells which I found repulsive in my direction.  No mention that autism might be the reason I found changing tasks midway or any interruptions extremely difficult.  Simply put, this particular Occupational Health doctor had no idea.  What no one should forget though is that occupational health are paid for by the employer, they are not there to take the employee's side.

Post diagnosis, I had had the foresight (against the wishes of the manager) to ask for Access to Work to do a workplace assessment.  This with a useful report from the psychologist who assessed me were of great use when I was referred to Occupational Health again.  This time I also took a union representative into the Occupational Health assessment and it was a great help.  Totally different from the pre diagnosis Occ Health assessment.  And they recommended all the adjustments plus more to help me.

This wasn't the end of my problems with work, but that is another story which I have gone into in previous posts.  To me the referrals to Occupational Health were also pointless, I think that my employer was trying to build up a case so they have enough evidence to not employ me, which once again I have gone into in previous posts over the last eighteen months or so. 

I would suggest you write down a list of the ways you think that your possible autism affects you.  I would also suggest that you contact Access to Work, with an AQ score (you can do the test online).  Access to Work do not require a formal diagnosis although it could be of assistance, and they can recommend some adjustments for you if there is anything in the workplace which might affect you (noise, smells, temperature, busy-ness, overcrowding, interruptions,not getting on well with change, etc.

And simply being autistic is no reason for dismissal and would doubtless fall foul of the equality act if you were dismissed for either being autistic or because you are suspected of being autistic, especially if it had not been noted previously that your work was unsatisfactory.

I had an OH referral a few years ago (my boss asked if I would) for a physical condition. I didn't really need it for any specific help, but it seemed useful to "get it on record". It hasn't cropped up for my Aspergers (only just diagnosed), but again I wouldn't be adverse to it if it did. OH are there to help, so it makes sense to make use of them.