Return to Work
You have rights around how your return is managed. You don't have to go back before you're ready, and you don't have to go back to exactly what you left. This page provides general peer‑support information and does not reproduce BMA or NHS guidance.
Return to Work
Coming back to clinical work after sick leave, especially after a new diagnosis or a serious episode, is hard. You have rights around how this is managed, and you don't have to return before you're ready.
A phased return, where you gradually increase hours and duties over an agreed period, is a reasonable adjustment you can request. Put it in writing. Your employer should facilitate it wherever possible.
An OH assessment before your return is almost always worth having. An OH recommendation carries more weight with an employer than a personal request alone, even when the request is identical.
You don't have to return to the same role or setting
If your condition makes your previous role unsafe or unmanageable even with adjustments, your employer has an obligation to consider redeployment to a suitable alternative. This isn't widely known. The BMA and DDN both have guidance if you're in this position.