Posted By Elvis
Hi Folks

Wondering if anyone could provide me some information on the above condition. I have a teacher friend who has been signed off work as suffering from the above for a substantial period of time (over a year) with no visible improvement. They have recently been for an appointment with a doctor representing the local authority who has recommended that the individual can return to work should they be provided with a Microphone.

My point is that, although a microphone would make their current poor standard of voice more audible to a class full of children, the microphone is not actually solving anything and may be exacerbating the problem long term. Should the individual need to raise their voice to maintain control over the classroom, they would still be doing further damage to their current longstanding problem.

I believe that this proposal is not really an acceptable solution as it is not actually preventing any future damage and for me the local authority is neglecting their duty of care. (as demonstrated by the individual not being contacted by anyone in occupational health until the individual instigates matters).

Any comments / advice gratefully received.

Posted By Kieran J Duignan
'Elvis'

If you are going to get involved in this matter, you have two options:

a. ensure your friend is referred through her g.p. to an ENT specialist, as there may be a slight (emphasised) that she may have an organic throat disorder, which a speech therapist won't help with without a referral from an ENT doctor

b. either directly or through a CMIOSH (preferably one who is also a chartered occupational psychologist) write to the headteacher challenging the recommendation until your friend/client has a written risk assessment under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regs 1999, which specifies the hazards, the level of risk and the rationale justifying a microphone as a satisfactory and sufficient method of risk management.

Unless the doctor has substantial training in occupational stress, on the basis of the information available, he or she may have made a very serious error and jeopardised the teacher's voice further. However, the conflict could lead to dismissal and consequential claim for unfair dismissal or a claim under the DDA, so there's a need to gather evidence that would convince an employment tribunal or county court.

An extremely serious and complex case with apparent similarities to one in which I was involved as an expert witness where a teacher suffered stress-induced alopecia (loss of hair).