Employers refer individuals to occupational health for many reasons.  This can often be a worry for employees, but in the great majority of cases the referral is for the benefit of the employee.  We can help to make sure you are not harmed by your work, and we can advise on suitable rehabilitation programmes or adjustments to work to help you get back to work if you have been ill or you have a disability.

You may be referred for an assessment before you start work (pre-employment health assessment).  This ensures that you are fit for the job and will not be harmed by the job.  It is also an opportunity to identify medical problems or disabilities that might affect your fitness for work so we can advise the employer how to adjust the work to ensure you can still do the job.  This helps employers meet their legal obligations in avoiding disability discrimination.

If you have been off sick, your employer might want to know when you can return to work, and if any temporary or permanent changes need to be made.  For example we may advise that you should start back on reduced hours while you recover, or that you should avoid certain tasks while you regain fitness.  This will help ensure that you feel confident to start work, and that you only do work you are physically and mentally capable of doing while you settle back in.  We may also advise that you need to transfer or redeploy to a different role if you are no longer able to do your former job.