Occupational Health Referral - What should I expect?

What is Occupational Health?

Occupational health (OH) focuses on the relationship between your health and your work.

Our role is to make sure your work isn’t having a negative effect on your health, and that any health conditions you have impact your work as little as possible. OH specialists are impartial healthcare professionals - they’re not part of your HR or management team, and their advice is based solely on your health needs in the workplace.

Why have I been referred?

You’ve probably already spoken with your manager about why you’re being referred. OH referrals (often called management referrals) happen for many reasons. Your manager should explain the reason clearly and ask for your informed consent before sending the referral to us.

Some common reasons include:

• Helping you return to work after illness or injury

• Understanding new diagnoses and their impact on work

• Supporting long-term health conditions at work

• Reviewing health after a workplace accident

• Advising on medical capability or ill-health retirement cases

This list isn’t exhaustive - every referral is individual.

What will happen at the appointment?

You’ll meet (in person, by phone, or via video) with an OH specialist — this might be a nurse, doctor, or another qualified clinician. They will:

• Introduce themselves and explain their role

• Confirm you understand why you’ve been referred

• Check you’re happy to proceed and have given your consent

They’ll then talk to you about your job, your medical history, and any current health problems. OH appointments are not for diagnosing conditions or prescribing medicines - the focus is on how to manage health in a work context. They may give you some advice and signposting to information and resources to help you.

Some health problems are better seen face-to-face, such as some skin conditions which are difficult to assess via video. If your health issue would benefit from a physical examination you may be asked to attend a face-to-face appointment.

Chaperones

It’s very unlikely you’ll need to undress unless a specific injury or condition needs to be examined. If it would make you more comfortable, you can request a chaperone to be present during your appointment.

The vast majority of appointments, however, only need a conversation.

Can I bring someone with me?

In some situations, you may feel it would help to have someone accompany you to your appointment. This could be a colleague, trade union representative, or other appropriate person. If your appointment is by phone or video, they may join remotely.

Please let us know in advance if you would like someone present so we can plan this appropriately. Most appointments are one-to-one, but we can make arrangements if you feel you need support.

What happens after the appointment?

With your consent, the OH specialist will prepare a report for your manager. This will:

• Provide advice and medical opinion relevant to your work

• Aim to answer the questions your manager included in the referral

• Avoid including confidential details without your permission

You can choose to see the report before it’s sent. If you disagree with it, you can request factual corrections, but not changes to the clinician’s opinion. You can also withdraw consent to share the report at any stage — in which case your employer will be told and will make decisions without the benefit of OH advice.

OH advice is just that — advice. Your employer will consider it carefully, but they are not required to follow it exactly if it isn’t reasonable or practical in the context of their business. They will decide what steps they can take after weighing up your needs alongside their operational requirements.

How to prepare for your appointment

• Bring a list of any medication you’re taking

• Bring glasses or contact lenses if your appointment involves your vision

• Bring relevant letters or contact details for any specialists or consultants you see (we won’t contact them without your consent)

If your OH specialist needs more information from your GP or consultant, they’ll discuss this with you first. We will never seek this information without your consent.

Your information and privacy

All OH records are handled under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act. Your employer will only see the advice you consent to share, and records are kept securely.

In the meantime...

Hopefully you now have a better idea of what to expect when you meet the occupational health specialist.

Remember, the specialist is impartial and very experienced in work-related health issues.

You will be informed of when and where your appointment will take place. If this is inconvenient, please let us know as soon as possible to allow us time to make alternative arrangements.

Telephone: 03300 948900

Email: admin@allhealthmatters.co.uk