Occupational health assessments: Staff guidance

Why am I being referred for an occupational health assessment?

Your line manager will have already spoken with you about your referral for an occupational health assessment.  They will send us a completed referral form telling us about your role, any workplace issues or other factors including any absence.

Who will my appointment be with?

Once we receive the referral we will contact you directly by email to arrange an appointment with one of our occupational health clinicians this could be a doctor, nurse or physiotherapist depending on the nature of the referral.

What happens at the consultation?

In the consultation you will be assessed by one of our clinical team. They will ask you questions about the referral from your manager and about your general health and wellbeing. They may also ask about your home circumstances if relevant to the referral.

The clinician will work with you to come up with a plan to support you and signpost to appropriate services you could access.

At the end of the consultation, the clinician will discuss a report they will write addressed to your manager which will also be sent to you and your HR officer. They will ask for your consent to send the report in the consultation or ask if you would like prior sight of the report prior to it being sent to your manager.

Your appointment could be by telephone or face-to-face. If it is face-to-face it will be either Regent Point, Royal Victoria Infirmary or Freeman Hospital.

There are good public transport links by bus and metro however, if you are worried please contact us and we can give detailed advice. Plan your journey so you are not rushed.

It would be helpful to bring details of any medication, GP details and copies of any relevant medical correspondence. The team member will talk with you regarding your health and how this could impact upon you carrying out your role at work.

An independent consultation provides you with the opportunity to talk to a professional about any concerns you may have about your work and health relationship.

What is the purpose of the consultation?

We’re here to gain relevant information so that we can provide your manager with an accurate, independent, fair, concise and useful opinion on your fitness to do your job.

What about confidentiality?

Occupational health appointments are confidential, this means that what is discussed in the appointment will not be shared with your manager. HR or any colleagues. The reports written to your manager are shared with your consent and contain minimal (if any) details of your medical condition. Instead, the report will focus on your function, fitness to work and providing recommendations on how managers can support you at work.

Anything you tell us will be treated with the strictest confidence, unless it relates to any effect of your health on work or vice versa, or where it may have an impact on your safety or the safety of others.

Why can’t I see my GP instead?

Your GP is the expert for treating your illness, but occupational health physicians are more familiar with the workplace. They are trained in and experienced at understanding how your health can affect work, or vice versa. They can also suggest reasonable adjustments which may be appropriate to help support you.  In some cases we may write to your GP (with your consent) to request further information.

What if I refuse to attend or just don’t turn up?

It is up to you whether you choose to engage with occupational health. It is worth knowing that by not engaging with the service any management decisions can be made by your manager without the value of an independent occupational health report.

What happens after the consultation?

If you give consent, the clinician will draft a report to your manager and HR officer which will then go through a proofing and approval process to ensure it meets quality standard.

We will then send the report to your manager, HR officer and to your specified email address at the same time. This is usually within 5 working days of the appointment.

If you requested “prior sight” of your report this will be sent to you initially so you can check that it is accurate and ensure you are happy with the contents. If you wanted to give feedback or if you are satisfied with the report, you can email the department.

What will the report include?

The report could include whether you have a medical problem which may affect your performance or attendance, when you may be able to return to work (if you’re currently off work), recommendations for a workplace adjustment plan or recommendations regarding other reasonable workplace adjustments.  

Our team are occupational health experts and they’ll give their professional view on whether the employment tribunals may consider the disability provisions of the Equality Act (2010) applies to your circumstances.

Any recommendation and advice we provide is given by an occupational health specialist so it is useful for your manager to give some thought as to whether our suggestions are reasonable, practical and possible to implement.

Self-referral forms

Counselling self-referral form

Counselling self-referrals offer employees the opportunity to access confidential support for their psychological wellbeing.

Physiotherapy self-referral form

Physiotherapy self-referrals offer employees the opportunity to access support for musculoskeletal issues they may be facing at work.

General self-referral form

If you are experiencing difficulties impacting your health at work, Newcastle OHS offers confidential self-referral for assessment within our service.

This service is confidential and your manager will not be informed if you choose to access support.

Your self referral will be triaged by the clinical team and the most suitable appointment offered. You may be sent some information by email with links to support areas