Work and reasonable adjustments

Lissy02 said:

I brought up some reasonable adjustments but was told it’s practically impossible in my line of work

Can you tell us what reasonable adjustments you have asked for?

I can imagine that in most areas of healthcare there will be a lot of environmental aspects that cannot be changed and a huge amount of unpredictability when dealing with the public, all of which will make this really difficult for some autists to cope with.

If you have a back office role with no responsibilities for rapid turn around of test results etc then you have a good chance of requesting something to be done, but most other roles will be much more difficult.

If you can let us know what sort of role you have and what is most overwhelming for you then we may be able to come up with suggestions.

Hi lain, I work in community pharmacy as a healthcare assistant, my main duty is dispensing,  preparing medications, unpacking stock, answering the phone and  lending a hand in the shop assisting patients as a brief description of my role. I find myself getting pulled from one task to another, the pharmacy as a whole is really loud and forever feels chaotic, under fluorescent lighting for 10 hours a day and constant pressure to dispense around 500 prescriptions in a day alongside other duties. I don’t know if I should just change my career as a whole and find something that suits me better. I feel like I’m stuck completely.

Lissy02 said:

I don’t know if I should just change my career as a whole and find something that suits me better.

I'm afraid I think you would benefit from a change.

The nature of your job does not have much scope for change to help your sensitivities other than perhaps the lighting - the constant tug and pull of all your tasks each day is a stressor that is really hard to live with.

I spend many decades in IT support at all levels and was always surrounded by the constant flow of problems, scheduled tasks and projects with the phones as an ever present background cacophony that could not be left alone - the calls had to be answered in a certain number of rings.

My solution was to learn a mix of mindfulness and meditation so I could carve out little bits of peace for a minute here and there and de-stress before launching back into the chaos. It never became any less of a stress but I was able to cope better with it.

This isn't an overnight learning thing though, it took me years to get it to work well.

Do you have an option to train up and move away from the battlefront situations you find yourself in?

Thankyou and possibly, in the case of dispensing I tick down the prescription of which items I have picked and know which ones I have labelled as I work my way down the strip of labels. The pharmacy where I work the team is very organised and set if their ways, any type of chance or adjustment seems to be a problem, hence why I haven’t pushed for these ajustments over the last 6 months, my manager indicated my colleagues would see it as I’m being treated differently or favourably if I do anything different such as breaks to regulate or change my method to working to suit my needs. 

This is very well written, clear, articulate and reasonable - this is as good as it gets and will make it easy for them to identify how to proceed.

One thing to consider for the dispesing process where you get interrupted, can you have a checklist of the steps taken that you check off as you go so it is easier to work out what you already have completed?

Having something as specific as this which can help others may be seen as improving the process overall and make them happy they are making the adjustment.

I’ve just qualified from a trainee healthcare assistant/dispenser to the official role. 
I’ve given my adjustments more thought and come up with difficulties and solutions that I think may be more reasonable now I have abit more explanation behind them. I’m preparing to send this to my manager and HR on Monday morning and see what happens, I feel if it’s in writing they might actually do something? 

Dear manager and HR,

I am writing to formally request that my reasonable adjustment needs are reviewed in light of my autism diagnosis. I would also like to request a referral to Occupational Health for an assessment of how my working environment and duties affect me, and for recommendations on appropriate workplace adjustments.

Since receiving my diagnosis, I have been trying to manage the difficulties I experience at work. However, I do not feel that my needs have been adequately addressed, and I am finding the current working environment increasingly difficult to manage. I want to be able to carry out my role effectively, safely and consistently, but I believe some adjustments are needed to help remove the barriers I am experiencing.

1. Sensory overload and emotional regulation

Working in a busy pharmacy environment, particularly under fluorescent lighting and with competing demands around me, can contribute to sensory overload. When I become overwhelmed, I need a short period to regulate myself before I can return to my duties effectively.

I have previously used short toilet breaks to manage these feelings, generally for no more than five minutes at a time. Although I understand that frequent absences from the dispensing area can cause difficulties, these breaks have been a way of coping with feeling overwhelmed. I would like to agree on an appropriate system for short regulation breaks when needed, rather than being left without a suitable way to manage sensory overload.

Adjustment requested: Agreed short regulation breaks when necessary, with a clear and practical process for taking them and ensuring appropriate pharmacy cover.

2. Concentration, interruptions and task switching

My role involves dispensing and labelling medication, alongside answering telephone calls, serving customers and responding to other requests. Switching between tasks, particularly when I am concentrating on dispensing, can make it difficult for me to maintain focus and return to the original task without losing track of what I was doing.

Given the importance of accuracy and patient safety in pharmacy work, I would benefit from a clearer system for managing competing tasks and reducing avoidable interruptions during concentration-intensive duties.

Adjustments requested: Clear priorities when multiple tasks arise, support in managing competing demands, and consideration of ways to minimise avoidable interruptions during dispensing wherever operationally and safely possible.

3. Fluorescent lighting and sensory environment

I experience difficulties with fluorescent lighting, which contributes to my sensory discomfort at work. I have recently attended an eye test and was advised that lightly tinted glasses may help with this issue. I am looking into obtaining these myself.

I would also appreciate consideration of whether any practical changes to my working environment could reduce the impact of the lighting and other sensory demands.

Adjustment requested: Consideration of practical sensory adjustments, including any feasible changes to lighting or my position within the workplace.

4. Standing for prolonged periods

My role involves standing at the dispensing counter for extended periods. This causes discomfort and leg pain, which adds to the difficulties I experience throughout the working day.

Adjustment requested: The opportunity to sit for suitable duties when it is safe and practical to do so, and consideration of whether tasks can be organised to reduce prolonged uninterrupted standing.

5. Clear communication and support

When I become overwhelmed, I do not always find it easy to identify or explain the exact cause at that moment. This does not mean that I am not experiencing genuine difficulties or that I do not need support. I would benefit from practical discussions about what could help, rather than being expected to identify an immediate solution whenever I am struggling.

Adjustment requested: Clear communication about expectations and priorities, a supportive approach when I communicate that I am overwhelmed, and collaborative discussions to identify workable adjustments.

I appreciate that a pharmacy is a busy healthcare environment with important responsibilities around dispensing accuracy, patient safety and customer service. I am not asking for these responsibilities to be removed. I am asking for reasonable adjustments to be explored so that I can meet the requirements of my role while managing the effects of my disability.

I would appreciate confirmation that my requests will be considered and that an Occupational Health referral can be arranged. I would also welcome a meeting with management and HR to discuss these needs, agree on practical next steps and establish how any adjustments can be reviewed.

Please could you also confirm what interim support can be put in place while these requests are being considered?

Thank you for taking the time to consider this request. I would appreciate a written response.

Kind regards,

liss 

I’ve just qualified from a trainee healthcare assistant/dispenser to the official role. 
I’ve given my adjustments more thought and come up with difficulties and solutions that I think may be more reasonable now I have abit more explanation behind them. I’m preparing to send this to my manager and HR on Monday morning and see what happens, I feel if it’s in writing they might actually do something? 

Dear manager and HR,

I am writing to formally request that my reasonable adjustment needs are reviewed in light of my autism diagnosis. I would also like to request a referral to Occupational Health for an assessment of how my working environment and duties affect me, and for recommendations on appropriate workplace adjustments.

Since receiving my diagnosis, I have been trying to manage the difficulties I experience at work. However, I do not feel that my needs have been adequately addressed, and I am finding the current working environment increasingly difficult to manage. I want to be able to carry out my role effectively, safely and consistently, but I believe some adjustments are needed to help remove the barriers I am experiencing.

1. Sensory overload and emotional regulation

Working in a busy pharmacy environment, particularly under fluorescent lighting and with competing demands around me, can contribute to sensory overload. When I become overwhelmed, I need a short period to regulate myself before I can return to my duties effectively.

I have previously used short toilet breaks to manage these feelings, generally for no more than five minutes at a time. Although I understand that frequent absences from the dispensing area can cause difficulties, these breaks have been a way of coping with feeling overwhelmed. I would like to agree on an appropriate system for short regulation breaks when needed, rather than being left without a suitable way to manage sensory overload.

Adjustment requested: Agreed short regulation breaks when necessary, with a clear and practical process for taking them and ensuring appropriate pharmacy cover.

2. Concentration, interruptions and task switching

My role involves dispensing and labelling medication, alongside answering telephone calls, serving customers and responding to other requests. Switching between tasks, particularly when I am concentrating on dispensing, can make it difficult for me to maintain focus and return to the original task without losing track of what I was doing.

Given the importance of accuracy and patient safety in pharmacy work, I would benefit from a clearer system for managing competing tasks and reducing avoidable interruptions during concentration-intensive duties.

Adjustments requested: Clear priorities when multiple tasks arise, support in managing competing demands, and consideration of ways to minimise avoidable interruptions during dispensing wherever operationally and safely possible.

3. Fluorescent lighting and sensory environment

I experience difficulties with fluorescent lighting, which contributes to my sensory discomfort at work. I have recently attended an eye test and was advised that lightly tinted glasses may help with this issue. I am looking into obtaining these myself.

I would also appreciate consideration of whether any practical changes to my working environment could reduce the impact of the lighting and other sensory demands.

Adjustment requested: Consideration of practical sensory adjustments, including any feasible changes to lighting or my position within the workplace.

4. Standing for prolonged periods

My role involves standing at the dispensing counter for extended periods. This causes discomfort and leg pain, which adds to the difficulties I experience throughout the working day.

Adjustment requested: The opportunity to sit for suitable duties when it is safe and practical to do so, and consideration of whether tasks can be organised to reduce prolonged uninterrupted standing.

5. Clear communication and support

When I become overwhelmed, I do not always find it easy to identify or explain the exact cause at that moment. This does not mean that I am not experiencing genuine difficulties or that I do not need support. I would benefit from practical discussions about what could help, rather than being expected to identify an immediate solution whenever I am struggling.

Adjustment requested: Clear communication about expectations and priorities, a supportive approach when I communicate that I am overwhelmed, and collaborative discussions to identify workable adjustments.

I appreciate that a pharmacy is a busy healthcare environment with important responsibilities around dispensing accuracy, patient safety and customer service. I am not asking for these responsibilities to be removed. I am asking for reasonable adjustments to be explored so that I can meet the requirements of my role while managing the effects of my disability.

I would appreciate confirmation that my requests will be considered and that an Occupational Health referral can be arranged. I would also welcome a meeting with management and HR to discuss these needs, agree on practical next steps and establish how any adjustments can be reviewed.

Please could you also confirm what interim support can be put in place while these requests are being considered?

Thank you for taking the time to consider this request. I would appreciate a written response.

Kind regards,

liss 

Thankyou and possibly, in the case of dispensing I tick down the prescription of which items I have picked and know which ones I have labelled as I work my way down the strip of labels. The pharmacy where I work the team is very organised and set if their ways, any type of chance or adjustment seems to be a problem, hence why I haven’t pushed for these ajustments over the last 6 months, my manager indicated my colleagues would see it as I’m being treated differently or favourably if I do anything different such as breaks to regulate or change my method to working to suit my needs. 

This is very well written, clear, articulate and reasonable - this is as good as it gets and will make it easy for them to identify how to proceed.

One thing to consider for the dispesing process where you get interrupted, can you have a checklist of the steps taken that you check off as you go so it is easier to work out what you already have completed?

Having something as specific as this which can help others may be seen as improving the process overall and make them happy they are making the adjustment.