Scleroderma at work

In the UK, up to one-quarter of people in employment are also living with a long-term condition of some kind. This means that as an employee you are certainly not alone. If you are an employer, taking steps to support staff members who are living with chronic illnesses will be of considerable benefit to everyone. The first step is to talk to the person to find out if there is any support that they are likely to need. Ask them if they have any information on their condition, for example a factsheet or hospital leaflet that they can pass on to you.

Scleroderma affects different people in different ways, and no two cases are ever identical. It is often progressive, meaning that symptoms may change or get worse over time, depending on which parts of the body are affected. As such what adjustments at work are needed will likely change over time.

In most cases, there are reasonable adjustments that can be made to the workplace for someone who has scleroderma to help maintain wellbeing. Examples might include allowing for rest periods during the day, or adjusted start or finish times. It is important for both employers and employees to keep the lines of communication open, as a small change can make a big difference.