Des talks about the importance of remembering that Fibromyalgia is an 'invisible disability' and as such, it is important to self-advocate and educate line managers.

For line managers, the key to take time to understand the individual and their strengths and the support they need. Flexibility around where and when duties are undertaken is always helpful. 

Health ability passports are a useful support, especially when the individual is moving across teams or has a change in line manager.

The Fibromyalgia Action UK website has resources on working with Fibromyalgia and a helpline. 

When getting the reasonable adjustments you need at work or on placement is not going well, contact us for advice. 

Time stamps for key points in Des' video:

0.33 Reasonable adjustments 

2.06 line manager support 

3.10 understanding and accommodating fatigue at work

4.20 advice for those with fibromyalgia

5.43 external advice and support

Our Health Ability Passport guidance has been developed with members with lived experience of disability, neurodivergence and long-term conditions. 

With Callum Metcalfe-O'Shea, (RCN professional lead for long-term conditions), we have reviewed the guidance to make sure it supports members with a long-term condition diagnosis.

Use the guidance along with our Fibromyalgia specific passport template developed with FMAUK  to ensure you have helpful conversations with your line manager that:

• Consider your specialist team reviews to ensure adjustments remain effective and appropriate
• Look at the impacts of medications and treatments and make adjustments around this
• Acknowledge fluctuating symptoms and plan for flare ups. 

The passport template can be downloaded via the link on the right as a fillable pdf or, you can use it and the health ability passport guidance to inform completion of your employer's passport document, if they have one.  

Nicola was a nursing auxiliary (a title for what is now a nursing support worker) who was forced to leave the profession due to Fibromyalgia.

She has greatly benefited from support from Fibromyalgia Action UK and reflects on the power of peer support when living with a long term condition.

Nicola has advice for healthcare employers on how to support and retain those with a long term condition such as Fibromyalgia. 

She also talks about how she is using her experiences to help others, by setting up a FMAUK peer support group in her local community.

Ashley is a registered nurse working in a nursing home. She has Fibromyalgia, Long Covid and is neurodivergent. 

Ashley explains that her conditions are all invisible yet interact with and exacerbate one another.  She advocates for employers applying a person-centred approach to staff with long term conditions, as nurses do with patients. 

Staff and employers must work to be more understanding and to consider that invisible conditions may be a factor affecting colleagues at work. 

Our Long Covid hub contains information for healthcare professionals with Long Covid, union reps and managers.