Referral service

In every management referral there should be a clear reason for the referral.

If the referral is regarding absence it should include details of sickness absence and whether this is long term or frequent short term absences. It is helpful to include an indication of the frequency, the reasons the employee attributes to their sickness absence, and copies of self-certificates and GP Fitness Certificates.

The manager should also specify any concerns about performance or work capability and/or conduct that could be underpinned by a health related issue.

It should be clear that the employee has been informed about the reasons for the referral and that they agree to the referral process.

If the management referral form shows any indication that the manager has not understood the remit of Occupational Health and/or the reason for referral, you will be contacted to discuss the referral form and offer guidance. This may result in the need for submission of a revised referral form once the consent has been re-sought by the referring manager form the employee to be referred.

Upon receipt in Occupational Health, the referral form will be triaged and assigned to an Occupational Health Practitioner to case manage. Occupational Health Services will send an appointment letter via email to the employee using the email address provided on the referral form. You will also receive a copy of this letter. The appointment letter should be generated within 5 working days of the referral being received by Occupational Health Services.

If the employee is unable to attend the appointment offered, they must contact Occupational Health Services no later than 48 hours before their appointment is due in order to reschedule. We do appreciate that from time to time, unforeseen circumstance will arise where upon the employee will be unable to give 48 hours’ notice to reschedule.

You will receive notification of any rescheduled appointments.

In the event that the employee does not attend their appointment, Occupational Health Services will advise you of this via email and will take your advice on if a further appointment for the employee should be booked.

Occupational Health Service reports are designed to offer an objective and expert opinion regarding to how the health of the individual affects them in their workplace or how the workplace is affecting their health. These reports also provide advice on what might make it easier for the employee to carry out their duties successfully whilst taking into account their health problem or disability.

Where rehabilitation programs are suggested, it is for the manager to decide if they are reasonable and manageable from an operational perspective. If there is any doubt about this, or managers require further advice, they should contact the Occupational Health Practitioner who will be happy to discuss this further.

In the interests of both the referrer and employee, the Occupational Health Practitioner must adopt a neutral, professional position. The reports should reflect this stance.

The report should address the questions asked and offer the Occupational Health Practitioner’s medical opinion where necessary. The report may also advise upon other factors or questions outside of those indicated to be answered in the referral if the Occupational Health practitioner believes it would be detrimental to the employee and or employer if these were not addressed for legal and/or safety reasons.

The report should also capture if the Occupational Health Practitioner believes there is an appropriate reason to review the employee again or if the case will be closed after the initial consultation

Other important factors to consider when interpreting the Occupational Health report:

• Occupational Health Practitioners are registered practitioners and therefore work within the legal framework of the Data Protection Act 2018, and adhere to the standards set down in the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s, General Medical Council’s, and other relevant bodies’ Codes of Conduct. Preservation of confidentiality is paramount in Occupational Health activities.
• The employee’s consent is required in order to send you the report. On occasions where the employee may decline consent to release some or all of the report content to the referring manager, the Occupational Health Practitioner will discuss the ramifications of this with the employee. If the practitioner’s opinion is based on incorrect facts, reconsideration to the opinion will be considered. However, if the facts are correct there will be no change the professional opinion. In the event that the employee continues to disagree and therefore consent is not given, we are unable to forward the report to the referring manager. Occupational Health will inform the referring manager if this is the case.
• In most cases, disclosing the employee medical condition(s) is not necessary nor may it be seen as acceptable if legally challenged. However, overview of how this condition may affect their functional capacity and how this translates in the workplace should be included.
• It is important to remember that the Occupational Health remit is not to diagnose medical conditions. Occupational Health Services are able to confirm a diagnosis where documentary evidence has been provided by the employee from their GP and/or Specialist.
• In the majority of cases, it is not necessary to obtain GP or Specialist reports as the Occupational Health Practitioners are skilled in taking medical histories, understanding what medication the individual has been prescribed, and how this may affect the individual in terms of their functional capacity.
• The Occupational Health Practitioner may request a report from the GP and/or Specialist for example where cases are complex, symptoms may appear to be extensive, episodic but yet there is no diagnosis, or where Ill-health Retirement may be indicated.
• Symptoms the individual describe may be an indication of a potential underlying health condition(s), however, it is not for the Occupational Health Practitioner to offer an opinion in regards to whether these symptoms are ‘genuine’. It is the Occupational Health Practitioner’s responsibility to signpost the employee to the most appropriate pathway to obtain the medical support that may be required to treat and/or diagnosis the symptoms, and to capture this in the report with their consent. In addition, the report should identify how the reported symptoms affect the employee’s functional capacity in the workplace, and advise on how the employee may be best supported in the workplace to manage these symptoms.
• Recovery rates after surgery can vary widely but patients are usually provided with useful written guidance about what to expect after an operation. Examples of such guidance notes are published by the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and may be used for discussion with an employee when offering an opinion of expected return to work time frames in the Occupational Health report to managers.

You should receive the Occupational Health Services report within 10 working days of the appointment. This provide time for the Occupational Health Practitioner to write the report, send it to the employee, and for the employee to review and release consent for the report to be sent to you.

In cases where there is a delay in the report being sent and/or you the employee has not given consent for the report being released, Occupational Health Services will inform the referring manager(s) via email (copying the employee in) that consent to release the report has not been given. In these circumstances you may need to make decisions regarding the employee case without the benefit of Occupational Health Services advice or opinion.