When an employee's health could affect their job or be affected by the work they do, their employer can ask them if they'll agree to an assessment with an occupational health adviser.
The occupational health adviser carries out an assessment of the employee and reports back to the employer.
This can help the employer understand what their employee needs to:
- feel better
- return to work
- do their job
- avoid anything that could cause further health or absence issues
What happens in an occupational health assessment
The occupational health adviser might ask the employee about:
- their health
- any treatment they're having
- any concerns they have about returning to work
Sometimes the occupational health adviser might need to get more information from the employee's doctor. In this case, the employee should be told the reason and asked to sign a consent form.
The employee has the right to see the doctor's report before it is sent to the occupational health adviser.
Whether the employee gets paid for attending occupational health appointments should be written in the organisation's policy, so it's a good idea to check.
An employee has had a back injury. Their employer asks an occupational health adviser to carry out an assessment.
The assessment says that the employee needs their work chair adjusted. The employer arranges the adjustment. This helps the employee work comfortably and without making their injury worse.
The employee does not have to agree to an occupational health assessment, but it's a good idea as it can help them:
- get any support they might need
- get back to work quicker
How an occupational health assessment is used
An occupational health assessment is a useful addition to a doctor's medical report because it's more focused on:
- how the employee does their job
- how the job might affect the employee's health
The employer should consider the recommendations of both the occupational health and doctor's reports.
If there is any conflicting advice, they should talk with their employee and come to an agreement on the best course of action.
The occupational health adviser will check with the employee first that they can show their report to the employer.
The employer and employee can then plan the best course of action to help the employee back to work.
They might agree that the employee needs:
- a phased return to work, for example reduced working hours or lighter duties
- a referral for an appropriate course of therapy, for example physiotherapy or counselling
- adjustments to their workspace, for example an ergonomic chair
- more time off work
Depending on the health issue, the employee's progress might need to be assessed again before a firm agreement can be made about their return to work or to full duties.
If an employee is unhappy with how occupational health has been used, they should raise the issue with their employer.