What to expect from occupational health

What to expect during an Occupational Health assessment

Occupational health is an area of healthcare that specialises in the relationship between health and work, specifically the effects of work on health, and the effects of ill health or disability on capacity to work.

Our business, Occupational Health Assessment, provides an independent service to help businesses support their staff and to manage their health risks. The costs of providing our services are borne by the employer, not the employee.

Before a consultation, the assessing clinician will have received a referral form from an employer. The referral form states the reason for making a referral to an independent medical service, any background to the situation (for example, a sickness absence record) and usually a brief description of any role and responsibilities.

An employer usually has specific questions they would like answered about someone’s health, for example, whether an underlying medical condition is present, an indication of when an employee may be able to return to work (if they’re currently absent) and guidance about how best to support the person at work.

Confidential service

As in all types of medical practice, occupational health clinicians are bound by medical confidentiality. All medical information provided during any assessment is confidential and can only be given to a third party, including an employer, with informed consent. Similarly, the records help about any discussions are kept securely and in the strictest confidence.

Informed consent

At the start of an assessment process the written consent of the employee will be required, indicating that they are happy to have the assessment. We take care of all the consent steps in the assessment process, as a service courtesy to our clients.

By signing the consent form, employees are giving consent for an Occupational Health clinician to process their personal information, including recording personal and medical information, on a computer system, which is held securely. The system is ISO accredited, HIPAA, SOC2/3, GDPR and FISC certified.

Can employees refuse to be assessed?

Employees can refuse to be assessed. However, it is important to consider that without consent to an assessment, clinicians will be unable to give any advice on any condition to the employer. That, in turn, may mean the employer needs to make decisions in a vacuum. This often has a bearing on any management decisions.

If an employee is unhappy with the process, they can withdraw consent to participate.  In such circumstances, we will always inform the employer, although we cannot share the specific reason for consent being withdrawn.  In these circumstances, the employer would then make any management decisions without any advice from an occupational health expert.

In providing consent an employee agrees for the clinician to hold records and personal information. Only medical practitioners can view any records and an employer is not allowed to see them.

What happens after an assessment?

A report summarising the assessment and answering any specific questions from an employer will be sent to the referring manager following the assessment.  During the assessment, the clinician will take a detailed clinical history addressing:

• a history of any presenting condition
• an assessment of normal daily capabilities
• an insight into any extenuating factors at work
• an overview of any prescriptions, medications or treatments underway
• a summary of the different treatment options that may be available
• an assessment of any lifestyle factors which may affect an ability to work

From the information covered during an assessment, the clinician is able to conclude their opinions and suggest recommendations to both the employee and the employer. To confirm their advice it may be necessary (with consent) to write to a GP or treating specialist to obtain further information.

In these circumstances, individual rights under the Access to Medical Records Act 1988 are triggered. An employee always has the right to see a report from a GP or treating specialist before it is sent to an assessing occupational health clinician.  Employees have 21 days to view any report after which the GP or treating specialist will normally release the information. If an employee agrees to the clinician approaching their doctor or specialist they’ll always be asked to sign a separate consent form too. 

Towards the end of the assessment the clinician will always also give a clear indication of what information will be included in the report. Sometimes the reports are dictated in front of the employee to ensure there is transparency and clarity in the process.

Individual consent is obtained again stating the employee is happy with the likely content of the report. Employees can indicate one of the following:

• they do not wish to see the report before it is sent
• they wish to see the report at the same time as their employer
• they do you wish to see the report before it is sent to their employer

Can the content of the reports be changed?

If an employee wishes to suggest amendments to a report only factual information can be changed and not the opinion of the assessing clinician. Not liking the clinicians’ opinion is not a basis for the clinician to make an amendment to a report.

Reports to employers should not contain any unnecessary medical or social information. They are always clear, comprehensive, objective and impartial. An occupational health practitioner provides medical opinions and advice to an employer – what they employer does with the advice is entirely at their discretion.

The GMC has some helpful advice to consider if you disagree with the contents of an occupational health report.

Occupational health is transparent

The entire occupational health assessment process is transparent. It is designed to give professional advice to help support both the employer and the employee. There is never any reason to feel threatened by the assessment process and the vast majority of people find the chance to discuss their health and obtain independent advice incredibly helpful.

If an employee wishes to gain access to their medical information at any time they can always do so by submitting a Subject Access Request.  There are very limited circumstances under which any data can be withheld from an employee (such as the very rare risk that releasing the information may harm their health). This means is always good practice to discuss the assessment and the questions that the clinician will be asked to answer before the assessment takes place.