Occupational health

Use occupational health for a work question

Occupational health connects medical knowledge with the demands of a particular job. It can help when a fit note is too general, an absence is continuing, a return plan needs specialist input or there may be a health risk at work. It does not replace the employee's GP or make the employer's decision.

Begin with the question you need answered. The Acas occupational-health guidance suggests focusing on work impact and support. A useful referral describes the role and asks about functional restrictions, likely duration, possible adjustments and an appropriate review point.

Be clear about consent and information

Tell the employee why a referral is proposed, what information will be shared and who will receive the report. A worker does not have to agree to an assessment. If they decline, explain that the employer may have to make decisions using the information already available and give them a fair chance to reconsider.

After an assessment, the occupational-health adviser must ask the worker's permission before sharing the report with the employer. The employer should explain from the start how the worker can later withdraw consent to the report.

Ask only for information relevant to the employment decision. A manager may need restrictions and recommendations, not a full medical history. Store the referral and report as restricted health information, separate from general manager notes.

Consider the advice, then make the decision

Talk through the recommendations with the employee. Decide what can reasonably be implemented, who will act and when the arrangement will be reviewed. If advice conflicts with a fit note or another report, clarify the different purposes and seek further information where it is genuinely needed.

Occupational health advises. The employer remains responsible for decisions about adjustments, return arrangements, capability and safety. If a recommendation is not workable, record the reason and consider alternatives rather than treating the report as an automatic instruction or a convenient refusal.