I would still try to explore dyslexia as sometimes it is not
just a spelling problem but can be visual disturbances, memory problems
organisational skills and sometimes sufferers benefit from coloured overlays on
text, or special tinted specs. She may have coped at school but a lot of
dyslexics find coping strategies and muddle through.
She may be a fast hunt and peck typist but is she still relying
on looking at the keyboard when typing. If so, then whether her vision is
impaired due to retinopathy or due to a form of dyslexia she will still
experience the same problems. The cost of a report from her specialist may
cost you £250 and an assessment via AtoW will be a lot less. They would also
get an assessment carried out by the RNIB to see what other aids or adjustments
may help.
Her attitude to work may be related to her anxieties over her
visual disturbances.
I am trying to be positive here but it may just be that she has
a denial approach to controlling her diabetes and not worried about the results
of its impact on her vision or her work. I worked with a Nurse who knew all the
risks associated with failure to take her diabetes seriously and was blind by
the time she was 28yrs old.
Sue
From: [log in to unmask]
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of N. Rostami
Sent: 08 September 2009 15:50
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [OCC-HEALTH] Diabetes related visual disturbances - Errors
in secretarial work
-Thank you for the tip on touch typing training. She says she isnot
a touch typist but then again the youths nowadays are well ahead of us the
oldies(!) where typing and keyboard skills are concerned!
-We have explored the possibility of Dyslexia but she states that
she has never had an issue with this before, and nor throughout her schooling,
she also says that she never had issues with spelling.
-Bearing in mind that her job is to type up reports that the
practitioners have dictated , the employer is resistant to the option of any
VAS/ voice activated software. In any case after the report is uploaded on the
screen, it still needs to be proof read- precisely where she is having the
problem with.
-I have no doubt that retinopathy can affect sight but I hope to
ask the specialist whether her vision problem has the potential of causing her
typo and if it is not going to improve , then is she likely to be
registered as partially sighted. She is still driving.
-The only adjustment that I feel it be worth considering is a
redeployment within the organization( a large entity) where proof reading is
not the main part of the role?? In considering this RA( under the DDA), the
employer asks for the evidence of direct link between her typing errors and
Diabetes and not her skills.
-Basically she has struggled from the beginning with the main part
of her job . There are real doubts about her skills and her attitude to work
which have not improved with training and a close supervision.
From: [log in to unmask]
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of S.C.Morley
Sent: 08 September 2009 14:57
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [OCC-HEALTH] Diabetes related visual disturbances - Errors
in secretarial work
One of the first things that occurs to me is, is she a touch
typist or ‘hunt and peck’. If the latter, one of the first things I
would do would be to get her on a validated touch typing course such as The British Computer Society (BCS) qualification in touch
typing.. You can unlearn ‘hunt and peck’ no matter how long
you have been doing it. Unfortunately the older the brain the longer it
takes.(personal opinion here!!) I have just succeeded and I am near retirement
age!!!
Voice activated software is not without its difficulties. I have
recently been experimenting with it and it is very time consuming getting to
grips with the terminology and using it and I had a short training course by
the one of the trainers. It may well help but she will need the full training
that goes with it and AtoW is probably the best route to go down to get that.
If reports are dictated into a Dictaphone there is software that
goes with the VAS that can download the dictation straight on to the computer.
Is she aware of the problems she has, or could this be a
dyslexia problem and not just a straight forward visual one?
Not sure that writing to her consultant will help. He may well
confirm that the retinopathy affects her vision, then what do you do.
I do not think you are near the end unless the employer is
unwilling to consider other adjustments. Her medical condition is likely
to fall within the DDA so you have to ensure you have explored all options
before HR look at capability.
Sue
From: [log in to unmask]
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of N. Rostami
Sent: 08 September 2009 10:12
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [OCC-HEALTH] Diabetes related visual disturbances - Errors in
seccretarial work
Hi
List,
Can
I please pick your clever brains today about this case:
A
young diabetic secretary ( works 3 days a week )claims that her typing errors
(significant amount) are attributed to the visual disturbances that she has as
a result of her retinopathy. She is an insulin dependant diabetic who has
difficulty controlling it. The employer claims that right from the start of her
job( 12 months ago) , she has been making these errors which were
tolerated whilst she was being mentored and inducted . She has declared
her condition 6 months ago since when she has been given reasonable
adjustments in the form of , reduction in workload, another
colleague proof reads her work and close supervision. There are no
alternative /redeployment jobs within the office, though the employer is a big
organization. Under the capability policy she has not been able to improve her
performance with the benefit of the adjustments which are no longer
sustainable.
She
is now stating that she is stressed as she worries about the prospect of her
job which in turn makes her tired and fatigued ,further affecting her
performance. She states that her GP thought that she had depression ( what is
new !!!!any fatigued patient is diagnosed with this!!!?- with due respect to
Alan…). However she has not accepted treatment and counselling from her
GP. A workplace assessment has been carried out. I am not sure if it is
appropriate to consider the use of a voice activated software as the main part
of her job is to type the dictated reports! We have advised her to use the
features of font/contract/brightness/ line space to make the proof reading of
her work on the screen more user-friendly. She has even been advised to print
out the reports and proof read them. Basically she does not seem to be bothered
and responsive to these advices. She also works 3 days a week in her
parent’s pub and claims that she does only day shifts for them .The
employer wants her to self refer to Access to Work for further assessment. I
have considered writing to her specialist giving all details of her errors in
typing and to find whether her retinopathy would result in such
errors, and is it likely to improve.
How
do the rest of the list this case?
Is
it likely that we are at the end of the road for her, now looking at capability
in spite of the RA.
I
have convinced her to take up counselling via EAP, which I think should also be
given some chance.
Would
appreciate all comments and thanking you in advance.
Noushin
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