Hi guys,

I'm hoping someone can help, or give some advice.

I've suffered with Psoriasis for the best part of 20 years, started to appear just as i was finishing school. I've got it covering, my scalp, hands, arms, legs, back, feet, pretty much everywhere and i mean everywhere. After being made redundant its got a whole lot worse. Recently my adviser has decided i need help getting a job and has placed me on the Mandatory Work Activity, i heard from them the other day and they are sending me to the local recycling plant to sort through people's rubbish, because it'll help me get a job. (Just as a side note, for 15 years I've been a IT Analyst).

I've been basically told by unemployment to show up or no money, even though they agree wholeheartedly I should not be sent there because of my Psoriasis I've still been told I have to go. This scares me a great deal because of all the possible health implications. I've asked the company i've been assigned to if there was anything else they could have me doing, admin, charity shop work, anything apart from this I was pretty much told to deal with by the person on the phone. Although when asked about what safety gear I was going to get i was told A pair of boots high visibility vest and maybe some gloves.

I have to go tomorrow for a "risk assessment" my best mate thinks they dont believe me and want to take pictures or something. But I have to go or they stop my money, according to the job centre.

Has anyone come across anything similar or has any advice?

Anything anyone could say to help or put my mind at ease would be really great, because at the moment, i'm genuinely afraid.

Many Thanks for your time,

Bav

Hello Bav   to Psoriasis Club.

I'm not up on the UK rules and regulations myself, maybe someone else will have more information.

But my personal opinion can go two ways in your case.

#1 This "Mandatory Work Activity" sounds like a good thing to me and I think everyone who gets benefits should give something back, you're not going to die by going in there and getting a bit dirty. I know it's not the best of jobs but it is something, and you will be amongst others probably in a similar situation and this could make new friends and actually help you come out if you like and show the psoriasis to your colleagues.

#2 Psoriasis makes a persons skin shed and can lead to bleeding, this would not be good in the environment of a recycling plant and could possibly lead to infection. Also the stress of working in a place you didn't feel comfortable with would make psoriasis worse, and this in turn would make you quality of life unbearable. If you was to show the psoriasis to the assessor or a colleague should you have to take the work, most ignorant sods would run a mile and want you thrown out of the place.

Should you go for the assessment? Yes you should as you will loose benefits if you don't.

If they said "They agree wholeheartedly I should not be sent there because of my Psoriasis" Tell them to put it in writing to back it up.

Don't be afraid, be yourself. Be honest and tell them you either can't do it because of worry about infection, or worry about how others may react to the sight of psoriasis. Or grab the bull by the horns and jump in the skip and start chucking the crap out, who knows it could change your whole life.

Me I would just go with the flow, be myself and play it by ear as I go. In some ways I would think no way I'm not taking that, but then in another way I would think what the hell I'll give it a go.

Just my opinion, I wish you well with your decision and will end by saying it's your body, you the one with psoriasis and you have to weigh up what is best for you.

Regards.

Fred.

Hi Bav and firstly I would like to welcome   you to this great forum. There is a wealth of knowledge regarding psoriasis here and a lot of life skills as well, but you have asked a question I have no knowledge about, I would suggest that you have a word with your GP and explain to him/ her your concerns.
He may be able to put your mind at rest about the health aspects of the placement.or offer a certificate to say the placement is unsuitable
It's a shit placement I agree and I would be unhappy in your shoes, as you have been in IT for so long.
The best thing I can suggest is that you tell the recycling plant of your disease and hope for once it works in your favour and they discriminate against you. And say you're unsuitable .
Failing that you will have to ensure that they supply you with the proper protection I.e. Mask, hi viz vest industrial gloves, steel toe cap shoes, overalls,hard hat,  etc
I did a filthy job for years working as an engineer on all sorts of places that are probably dirtier than the recycling centre
I've worked repairing equipment in Slaughterhouses, sewerage works, Garage workshops, and I always wore protection and it never interfered with my psoriasis. I don't suppose this helps much
I wish you good luck and let us know if you can get off the placement  

Thank you very much for the great welcome, it really is appreciated.

Usually I'd be up for pretty much anything if I could get something at the end of it that would benefit me in the long run, I couldn't even put this on my CV because it has no bearing on anything I've ever done before.

As long as the assessor isn't blind he / she should see i have psoriasis by just looking at my hands, I've got big patches over each one's even in the shape of a heart with a tear drop, I've had one or two people actually ask me if it was a tattoo or something because it looked cool.

Thanks for your help guys, hopefully tomorrow they'll see sense and i can actually get some sleep at night again.

(Tue-14-04-2015, 21:51 PM)bav101 Wrote: Thank you very much for the great welcome, it really is appreciated.

Usually I'd be up for pretty much anything if I could get something at the end of it that would benefit me in the long run, I couldn't even put this on my CV because it has no bearing on anything I've ever done before.

As long as the assessor isn't blind he / she should see i have psoriasis by just looking at my hands, I've got big patches over each one's even in the shape of a heart with a tear drop, I've had one or two people actually ask me if it was a tattoo or something because it looked cool.

Thanks for your help guys, hopefully tomorrow they'll see sense and i can actually get some sleep at night again.

You're welcome, we try to help if we can. You may get more answers later from other members, but it may be to late for your appointment.

No I agree it won't help your CV these days, but I have employed people in the past and would welcome anyone who had worked at a recycling plant as it would make me think they would be a good team player and not afraid to get stuck in.

If the psoriasis can be seen at first contact then they probably won't offer you the work anyway, as they could be afraid of what other workers will think and it would worry them that you may claim to many days off.

You sound a decent enough person to me, so get some sleep and just be yourself tomorrow.  

On a side note: I notice you're on Dovobet and had psoriasis for around 15 years. It's time for you to move on, dovobet is not a long term solution and if you are not seeing a dermatologist you should demand your GP sends you to one. Things have moved on a lot and there are treatments today that can get you clear and give you back you life.

(Tue-14-04-2015, 22:16 PM)Fred Wrote:

(Tue-14-04-2015, 21:51 PM)bav101 Wrote: Thank you very much for the great welcome, it really is appreciated.

Usually I'd be up for pretty much anything if I could get something at the end of it that would benefit me in the long run, I couldn't even put this on my CV because it has no bearing on anything I've ever done before.

As long as the assessor isn't blind he / she should see i have psoriasis by just looking at my hands, I've got big patches over each one's even in the shape of a heart with a tear drop, I've had one or two people actually ask me if it was a tattoo or something because it looked cool.

Thanks for your help guys, hopefully tomorrow they'll see sense and i can actually get some sleep at night again.

You're welcome, we try to help if we can. You may get more answers later from other members, but it may be to late for your appointment.

No I agree it won't help your CV these days, but I have employed people in the past and would welcome anyone who had worked at a recycling plant as it would make me think they would be a good team player and not afraid to get stuck in.

If the psoriasis can be seen at first contact then they probably won't offer you the work anyway, as they could be afraid of what other workers will think and it would worry them that you may claim to many days off.

You sound a decent enough person to me, so get some sleep and just be yourself tomorrow.  

On a side note: I notice you're on Dovobet and had psoriasis for around 15 years. It's time for you to move on, dovobet is not a long term solution and if you are not seeing a dermatologist you should demand your GP sends you to one. Things have moved on a lot and there are treatments today that can get you clear and give you back you life.

I'll definitely get to the docs and see if i can get a referral from him to see a dermatologist. I do use other creams as well (hydrocortizone, Timodine and diprobase), my doc asked me to use the whole prescription and then go back and see if it worked. My issue with a lot of the stuff he gave me is it makes everything greasy and then spreads to everything i touch etc, to be honest it grosses me out.

(Tue-14-04-2015, 22:34 PM)bav101 Wrote: I'll definitely get to the docs and see if i can get a referral from him to see a dermatologist. I do use other creams as well (hydrocortizone, Timodine and diprobase), my doc asked me to use the whole prescription and then go back and see if it worked. My issue with a lot of the stuff he gave me is it makes everything greasy and then spreads to everything i touch etc, to be honest it grosses me out.

Yes then definitely get him to refer you to a dermatologist, you have the right to ask for this. In some parts of the UK it's easy, but unfortunately in some parts it's not so easy. Should you get a refusal, let us know as we may be able to point you in the right directions.

As Fred says it's time to move on there are so many treatments as Fred says to give you your life back, spend some time on here looking through the introductions to see how others are coping and controlling their psoriasis, toy could be pleasantly surprised .
Your doctor can only give you creams, but get a referral to a dermatologist and tell them how it affects your life, tell them it's not just the skin it's the mental coping with it, they should put you on some tablets to start with .... But as Fred says first things first get tomorrow under your belt, and when you speak to your doctor about the placement that will be a good time to ask for a referral
Best of luck
Jim

Weird question... But would anything the dermatologist gives me make my hair grow back or is that gone? I used to enjoy having hair its not completely gone but I've ended up having a number one just so it stops looking odd because its got very thing in areas.

(Tue-14-04-2015, 22:52 PM)bav101 Wrote: Weird question... But would anything the dermatologist gives me make my hair grow back or is that gone? I used to enjoy having hair its not completely gone but I've ended up having a number one just so it stops looking odd because its got very thing in areas.

Nope not that I know of. I had hair below my waist when I was 18, but now I have about as much as a mouse with a solar panel.  

In my case it's an age thing, but to be honest I do actually enjoy it as it helped a lot with scalp psoriasis.