What to expect during your face-to-face assessment
If you have been referred to the occupational health (OH) service for a face-to-face assessment, your HR department or line manager will make you aware of the referral and the reason for it.
They will also advise you on the confidentiality of any information divulged during your call, and of your related rights.
Consultations usually take around 30 minutes; sometimes a little longer if the issues are complex. Your appointment details will be communicated to you via email and text message.
For the meeting
Our confirmation message will include the date, time, location and the name of the OH professional. The person who referred you will also be informed.
Consultations are usually arranged close to where you work or live, however it may be necessary to travel further, depending on the availability of appointments in your area.
If you require assistance for your meeting, please inform us prior to the assessment, so we can arrange appropriate provision. Children are not allowed to be present during the assessment – and there are no childcare facilities on site.
Please bring your appointment confirmation letter or text message with you on the day.
Aim to arrive in good time for your assessment. If you are delayed it may not be possible for the OH professional to see you – and another booking may be required. We will need to inform your employer and they will be charged for the missed appointment.
Your consent
The OH professional will ask you to complete a consent form for the consultation – and to release an OH report to your organisation afterwards.
Without your consent, the consultation cannot proceed. If you are not happy to continue then you should advise HR or your manager immediately.
During the assessment the OH professional may undertake a physical examination. If you would like a chaperone to be present, you are welcome to bring a suitable person to the appointment.
Information to have available
For the consultation to be as effective as possible, we would recommend bringing the following information if relevant:
• Details of any current prescription medication from your doctor or specialist.
• Any relevant health information, such as diabetic glucose monitoring diaries, peak flow diaries for asthmatics or mood diaries for psychological disorders.
• Names of any specialists whose care you are under, and details of any forthcoming outpatient appointments or operation dates.
• If you have had any recent reports or investigations such as blood tests, X rays or scans, it would be very helpful to know if these highlighted any abnormalities. (You may wish to ask your GP about this).
• Details of how long your current Fit certificate runs, if relevant.
What happens next?
Following the consultation, a report will normally be sent within one working day. It will be made available to HR or your manager (or named referrer) – and should answer the questions raised in their referral.
It will usually include a brief description of any health matters or recommendations and any suggested adjustments to your role.
Should you wish to receive a copy of the report before or at the same time as your employer, please let the OH professional know, and this will be made available on HealthHub.
Please note – if you miss your appointment, we will need to inform your employer and they will be charged for the missed appointment.
Compliance statement
Health Management processes your personal data in line with relevant data protection and clinical governance requirements and good practice, including:
• GMC Confidentiality and Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM) guidelines
• The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Please be aware another clinician may audit your case for quality purposes to ensure our clinicians work to best practice standard. When this is undertaken no personal data is shared. Health Management are the Controller under GDPR. The legal basis for processing your:
• personal data is for the legitimate interests pursued by the Controller or by a third party – GDPR, Article 6(1)(f). Consent is not relied on for GDPR compliance;
• special category (i.e. health) data is for the purposes of preventive or occupational medicine – GDPR, Article 9(2)(h)
For more information about how your personal data is processed and your rights please see our Privacy Policy or ask our team.