A woman lecturer suffering severe stress at work took sick leave, on the advice of her GP, a consultant psychiatrist and occupational health counsellors. The woman, who was taking an Open University course in her spare time, was recommended by the consultant to continue with her studies in order to keep herself busy while she was recovering.
Then a letter from her employers arrived citing her OU work as evidence of malingering and promising disciplinary action would follow. Only a letter from each of the three health advisers persuaded the college eventually to back down, by which time the lecturer’s recovery had been severely set back. She has now left the profession.
