Occupational Health Quick Links
Occupational Health Assessments
At London City Healthcare, we understand that each organisation has unique requirements when it comes to occupational health. That’s why we offer tailored solutions designed to meet your specific needs. Our experienced team of healthcare professionals will work closely with you to develop a customised plan that addresses the health and safety concerns of your workforce.
Investing in Your Workforce’s Wellbeing and Productivity
As an employer or HR manager in the UK, occupational health assessments play a crucial role in ensuring your employees’ well-being and your company’s overall success. You can create a safer and healthier work environment by identifying potential health risks and implementing preventive measures. These assessments also help you comply with legal requirements and reduce the likelihood of work-related illnesses and injuries, ultimately leading to increased productivity and reduced costs associated with absenteeism and employee turnover.
Benefits of Investing in Occupational Health Assessments for Your Organisation
Implementing occupational health assessments at work demonstrates your commitment to employee well-being and offers a range of benefits, including:
- Enhanced employee health and safety: Identifying potential risks and recommending adjustments help prevent work-related illnesses and injuries, lowering your insurance costs and protecting your workforce.
- Reduced absenteeism and presenteeism: Early detection and management of health issues can prevent prolonged sick leave and presenteeism, where employees work while unwell, impacting productivity.
- Improved productivity and performance: When employees’ health is optimised for their job demands, they can work more effectively and contribute more to your organisation’s success.
- Boosted morale and job satisfaction: Investing in employees’ well-being fosters a positive work environment, leading to increased job satisfaction and loyalty.
- Compliance with legal requirements: UK legislation, such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, requires employers to ensure a safe working environment.
Occupational health assessments help you maintain compliance and demonstrate your commitment to employee welfare.
Occupational Health Assessment FAQs
We have compiled some answers to the most frequently asked questions we receive regarding occupational health assessments.
An occupational health assessment gives your business expert medical advice and guidance to support employees with health conditions effectively. Our services go beyond simply managing sickness absence; we offer professional insights to help you make informed decisions about health-related matters in the workplace.
Our experienced doctors assess an employee’s fitness to work and provide recommendations on necessary adjustments to their role or work environment. The assessment is delivered in the form of a comprehensive medical report tailored to address your specific concerns and questions. We are also happy to guide you in formulating the most appropriate questions for your situation.
By using our services, you can ensure that you receive professional medical advice to support your employees while complying with your legal obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act. As highlighted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), managing health conditions in the workplace makes good business sense.
We commonly support a wide range of conditions, including anxiety, stress, depression, Long-COVID, back problems, physical issues, dependency concerns, frequent short-term absences, and post-surgical rehabilitation.
For more information, please refer to this detailed article on the importance of occupational health assessments.
An occupational health assessment evaluates an employee’s health in relation to their job, identifying any health concerns that may affect their work performance. A qualified professional, such as a doctor or nurse, reviews the employee’s medical history, conducts an examination, and discusses any health issues.
Depending on the job’s specific health risks, the assessment may include additional tests. The occupational health professional then provides a report detailing the employee’s fitness for work, any necessary limitations or adjustments, and recommendations to support the employee in performing their role safely and effectively.
Occupational health assessments are crucial for ensuring the well-being of employees, promoting a safe work environment, and helping employers meet their legal health and safety obligations. They also support employees with health issues in remaining in or returning to work.
Seeking professional medical advice early offers the best chance of successfully resolving a health issue at work. If you’re concerned about an employee’s ability to perform their job or mental well-being, it’s best to consult a medical professional as soon as possible.
Most absent employees can return to their previous duties, but some may need adjustments to their role or work environment. Our guide provides information on when and how to intervene when health affects work performance.
An underlying medical condition or long-term disability doesn’t always mean an employee is unfit for work. Sometimes, adjustments like reduced hours for a limited period can help support the employee appropriately.
We can help identify if an employee’s work negatively affects their health and provide advice to prevent further deterioration. By making necessary accommodations, you demonstrate your commitment to supporting your employees.
The Equality Act 2010 brought changes to management practices, replacing the Disability Discrimination Act (1995). Employers can now only ask questions about an employee’s health if they directly relate to their work role or duties.
Questions to occupational health should focus on capability, such as “Can the employee work full days?” Avoid asking employees about the content of their assessment beyond what’s in the report.
While employers can’t demand to know about specific illnesses or conditions, even if they cause absence, they can request a ‘fit note’ from a GP, although these provide limited detail.
You may need to make “reasonable adjustments” to support an employee with a potential disability. We advise on possible adjustments, but the reasonableness of an adjustment is ultimately a legal decision.
Arranging an occupational health appointment helps manage risks while complying with the Equality Act, facilitating a successful return to work.
Predicting the progression of a health condition or the duration of absence can be challenging, as it’s not always an exact science. However, if surgery is expected, we can usually provide an estimate of the typical absence duration.
Ill-health can be complex, and getting a clear answer and resolution may take time. The content of our assessment reports is directly linked to the questions asked at the start of the process. We’re happy to guide you on the most appropriate questions to ask.
You’ll receive professional medical advice on whether the employee has a medical condition, suggestions on supporting them, and insights into potential progression.
While we can’t make management decisions for you, our advice is always based on professional medical opinions.
Our guide to understanding occupational health reports provides more information on the type of advice you can expect and how to interpret it effectively.
We publish professional profiles of our entire team of doctors, allowing you to assess their experience and specialist qualifications before choosing the best specialist to support your business.
Many occupational health providers do not offer information about their clinical teams on their websites, often because they don’t employ their own clinicians, subcontract work, or lack extensive clinical capacity.
Our occupational health team page provides more information on our team’s specialist qualifications and their significance.
We guarantee that you will be offered an appointment with an occupational health specialist within 5 days of your request.
If you need to arrange a specific day or time to accommodate your employee, it may take a day or two longer to schedule.
A detailed and thorough occupational health assessment can take up to an hour to complete. We provide the reports within 3 days of the appointment, subject to the employee’s consent.
We need a clear understanding of the problem to provide you and your employee with the most accurate advice. The referral form helps us gather the necessary information to conduct our assessment effectively.
We are only able to assess employees with a referral form, as we must demonstrate that we have acted fairly.
The assessment report includes a summary of the employee’s relevant medical history, the results of the functional evaluation, and the occupational health provider’s professional opinion on the employee’s fitness for work. Any recommended workplace accommodations will be clearly outlined.
Medical confidentiality will be maintained, and specific diagnoses will only be included with the employee’s consent.
We provide reports within 3 working days, subject to the employee’s consent.
Pricing & Fees
We aim to be as transparent as possible about the process and have included the benefits and limitations of occupational health assessments, the process we employ, and the pricing structure. Our goal is to provide comprehensive information to help you make informed decisions about your organisation’s occupational health needs.
Our fees are fixed at £450 per assessment.
Each referral includes a pre-assessment telephone call, an assessment of up to 1 hour, the compilation and provision of our report, consent packs, professional opinions, and all associated administration, scheduling, and service.
Yes, we accept payment with all major credit and debit cards.
Yes, we can invoice your company directly. We also offer the option of providing pro forma invoices if needed.
We publish professional profiles of our entire team of doctors, allowing you to assess their experience and specialist qualifications before selecting the most suitable specialist to support your business.
Many companies offering occupational health advice do not provide information about their clinical teams on their websites, often because they don’t employ their own clinicians, subcontract work to other businesses, or lack extensive clinical capacity.
While the employer usually pays for the assessment, and it aims to provide appropriate advice and address specific management concerns raised during the referral, our doctors conduct the referral and produce the report in a neutral and impartial manner.
Our doctors conduct assessments and produce reports in a dispassionate and neutral manner. However, they will inevitably not have full knowledge of the background details or circumstances and must rely on the information provided beforehand, observations during the consultation/examination, and what the employee tells them.
The employee will provide their perspective during the consultation, so it is crucial for the referring manager to give sufficient and clear information during the referral process to ensure the clinician has a balanced viewpoint.
Nationwide Service & Support
We provide nationwide occupational health assessment services and support for HR Managers and UK businesses. We operate in London, Birmingham, Bradford, Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol, Cardiff, Doncaster, Derby, Stockport, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Leeds, Leicester, Exeter, Portsmouth, Southampton, Plymouth, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Belfast, Carlisle, Liverpool, Oxford and many more.
Legal Considerations
Employees can request to see the report before it is sent to you, allowing them to check for factual inaccuracies and request corrections of any factual mistakes.
However, employees cannot insist that we change our professional opinions.
You can discuss the case history and background before submitting a referral, which helps us assign the most appropriate clinician to support the case.
We’re happy to advise on the best questions to include in a referral before you complete the form. However, once we receive the completed referral form, we can only discuss it with the employee’s explicit informed consent, as this is when the clinician/patient relationship is established, and medical confidentiality applies.
During the assessment, we can only act on the information provided in the referral form, which the employee has the right to access.
We cannot discuss what occurs during the assessment or what will likely be in our report, as we must complete a consent process with the employee. Please contact us for further information.
We are happy to help explain our reports, such as clarifying our advice or medical terminology.
However, to maintain our independence and impartiality, we cannot provide any additional information not already contained in the report without the employee’s fully informed consent.
Although we ask your employees to sign a consent form, the report cannot be released without their explicit informed consent, which can be retracted at any time. In rare cases, employees may refuse to consent to the release of the report.
In such circumstances, you can make necessary business decisions based on the information you already have about the case. ACAS also provides useful information and guidance for employers in these situations.
We always strive to help and accommodate any last-minute changes. However, if the appointment is missed, cancelled on the same day, or rescheduled with less than 24 hours’ notice, we, unfortunately, need to charge the full assessment fee, as we cannot reallocate the time that was reserved for the appointment.
To learn more about how we use, manage, and store data, as well as the basis on which we process health data, please refer to our Privacy Notice.
The doctor only has access to the information available and provided at the referral stage or anything the employee may bring to the consultation.
If the doctor needs access to medical records, they must follow a set procedure, which includes obtaining written consent from the employee. This process is essentially the same as the one HR may use to obtain a GP report. Accessing medical records would incur additional time and costs.
The doctor’s recommendations are not binding; they are simply expert advice. It is the employer’s responsibility to assess whether these recommendations are practical and reasonable to implement within their organisation and circumstances. However, as an expert medical professional provides the advice, employers should give serious consideration to the recommendations.
The OH Physician, as a medical expert, will provide their view on whether the Equality Act provisions apply. However, the ultimate decision on whether the Disability provisions of the Act apply is a legal one, made in a tribunal or higher court, and not a medical decision. The legal decision would almost certainly consider any medical opinions offered, and therefore, the doctor’s opinion should carry weight in this respect.
An OH assessment is not a forum to prove whether an employee is lying or to determine the validity of a reported diagnosis. It is unrealistic to expect the clinician, who does not have access to full NHS records or diagnostic test results, to comment with certainty on such a topic.
If you have serious doubts about an employee’s honesty regarding their health, we suggest seeking a report directly from the employee’s GP.
Many illnesses can take several weeks or even months to diagnose officially, often requiring a battery of tests and specialist consultants. An Occupational Health Assessment is not intended for this purpose; its main aim is to educate and inform management about the situation, particularly regarding the employee’s ability to perform their role safely.
It’s important to note that there are a few specialised Health Surveillance/Medical assessments, such as those for Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) and Asbestos exposure, where an OH Physician is expected to provide a diagnosis.
If an employee refuses to attend an OH assessment, we recommend that you make every effort to encourage their participation. If they still decline, you should clearly explain that any management decisions will have to be made without the benefit of expert medical advice.
It is advisable to document all communication and steps taken in this process thoroughly.
Yes, if the employee requests to see any documentation connected with their case, including the referral form, it must be provided to them. This is true under both the GDPR subject access request process and the GMC medical/ethics guidelines.
It is considered good practice for the employee to know what is included in the referral form or to see a copy ahead of the consultation.
Our approach is that any significant information that needs to be addressed in a consultation must be provided in writing, and the employee should be aware of anything included. Our clinicians cannot and will not introduce undocumented information into the consultation. Essentially, anything discussed verbally cannot be used in the consultation, which is why we generally discourage verbal exchanges of information.
We are confident that nearly all your questions will be answered here, but if you need further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us either by calling the phone number on our website or using our contact page. Our knowledgeable staff are always ready to assist you and provide the guidance you need to make the best decisions for your organisation.
Why choose us?
London City Healthcare provides specialist occupational health assessments nationwide. A team of specially qualified doctors is at hand so you can access high-quality medical advice right when it is needed. Our healthcare professionals have extensive experience in various industries and are well-versed in the latest occupational health practices and regulations.
Human Resources Guide
HR plays a central role in educating employees about the importance of occupational health assessments. This includes providing clear information on how assessments protect the individual and contribute to a safer workplace. Additionally, HR is responsible for ensuring that communication surrounding health assessments is transparent and maintains employee confidentiality.
HR professionals organise and coordinate the logistics of health assessments, which may include scheduling, providing necessary resources, and working with external occupational health providers. They also handle the follow-up process, ensuring that there is a clear system in place for addressing any health concerns identified during the assessments.
Through the management of occupational health assessments, HR contributes to the creation of a workplace culture that values health and wellness. This can lead to improved employee morale, reduced absenteeism, and increased productivity, which are all beneficial for the organisation as a whole.
Handling sensitive health information requires meticulous attention to data protection. HR must ensure all employee health data resulting from occupational health assessments is stored securely and accessed only by authorised personnel, in compliance with privacy laws and regulations.
HR is tasked with regularly reviewing and improving occupational health assessment programs. This includes soliciting employee feedback, monitoring program effectiveness, and updating protocols as necessary to reflect emerging health trends or changes in the working environment.
The involvement of Human Resources (HR) in occupational health assessments is crucial for maintaining a healthy workforce and for supporting employees in achieving optimal work performance. HR professionals play a key role in implementing, overseeing, and refining health assessment processes to ensure they align with both organisational goals and employee well-being.
Regulatory Compliance: It is the responsibility of HR to ensure that occupational health assessments comply with all legal requirements and industry standards. This involves staying informed about relevant legislation and incorporating necessary adjustments into company policy and procedures.
Health Assessment Protocols: HR must develop and maintain protocols that are fair, consistent, and scientifically sound. These protocols should be designed to identify potential health risks related to specific job roles and mitigate any issues identified.