Occupational Health Referrals and How to Make Them

Has an employee been off sick for a significant amount of time? Perhaps one of your team is coming back to work following a period of absence and you want to know what measures need to be in place for their return. As an employer, you have a legal duty of care to protect the well-being of your staff. This refers to their physical health and safety at work, as well as their stress levels and mental wellness.

If it becomes apparent that the health of an employee is affecting their ability to work, or vice versa and their job is impacting their health, you must make a referral to an occupational health (OH) practitioner who provides guidance and support, free from bias or judgement.

It’s important that the process of an OH referral is followed correctly so that positive action is taken to reach a resolution. This comprehensive guide will answer the most common occupational health referral questions so you know exactly what the process entails and how you can benefit.

What Is an Occupational Health Referral?

Simply put, an occupational health referral is a form that is submitted by an employer to an occupational health (OH) provider regarding the physical or mental health of an employee. The goal of a referral to occupational health is to achieve a healthy, happy working environment for employees while making sure that employers are staying fully compliant.

Different roles in different workplaces can lead to health problems, or cause existing conditions to worsen. No matter the sector, size or setting of the business, it’s important that proactive steps are taken to protect both the physical and mental health of employees.

Failure to address any work-related health issues jeopardises the safety and well-being of the workforce. In turn, this increases absenteeism, lowers productivity and, in serious cases, could leave employers at risk of legal action. 

Benefits of Occupational Health Referrals

Hiring the expertise of qualified occupational health experts will ensure the case is handled objectively with no pre-judgement or internal influence. In doing so, there are many ways that both employers and employees can benefit from enlisting the help of a reputable provider for their occupational health referral. 

What Are the Benefits for Employers?

Work-related illness or injury has a considerable impact on productivity, as employees are unable to fulfil the needs of their role. In turn, employers are left paying out sick pay or compensation claims which can put a financial strain on the business. 

By completing an occupational health referral, an employer is taking a proactive approach in protecting the health and well-being of an employee they feel needs some support. Taking these steps and following the guidance of an OH professional ensures that sickness absence is managed properly at the business and promotes better working relationships. In turn, this improves retention levels and ensures compliance with health and safety regulations. 

The process is simple – whether you have worked with an OH practitioner before or it’s all completely new, you will benefit from their knowledge and expertise for informed, fair decisions.

What Are the Benefits for Employees?

Being referred to an OH expert can be an intimidating prospect for employees, so keeping them fully informed with regular communication is key. Having this open dialogue will ensure that employees understand the purpose of a referral and how it will help, not hinder. 

There are many benefits of occupational health referrals for employees, including:

• A safe return to work
• Effective management of health conditions
• Relevant adjustments made in the workplace
• Reduced stress levels
• Better job satisfaction

Types of Occupational Health Referrals

Also known as case management referrals, occupational health referrals are specially designed to be supportive, objective and confidential, giving both the employer and their employee peace of mind that the health concerns are being addressed fairly. As previously mentioned, it is a manager’s legal duty of care to protect the health and well-being of their employees, which is why they are typically the ones to take the first steps by making an online referral. 

You may be wondering when to refer one of your employees for an occupational health management referral. Physical or mental health issues can affect people in different ways, so it’s important to follow up on any significant changes that suggest an employee’s health might be impacting their ability to work. No matter if they are a long-standing member of staff or new to the company, early intervention through timely referrals can prevent issues from worsening.

Common Reasons for Occupational Health Referrals

Employers are not expected to understand the intricacies of occupational health – as such, prior to making an occupational health referral, it is useful to know some of the top reasons why employers choose to do so as it allows you to make an informed decision. 

These include:

• Regular bouts of sickness
• Long-term absence
• Return to work following an accident
• Early retirement due to bad health
• Lower performance due to health issues
• Significant change in employee’s behaviour, mood or attitude
• Questions over whether an employee’s health problem is due to their workplace
• Work-related stress

If you are unsure whether you require input from occupational health, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our experienced team of practitioners who will be able to advise you.

How To Make An Occupational Health Referral

When making an occupational health referral, the employer must include as much information about the employee on their occupational health referral as possible. This includes details about the employee’s job role, absence record and health condition as it will all help the OH practitioner make an informed evaluation. They should be clear about the reason for the referral and include any specific questions they would like answered by the practitioner with regards to the employee’s medical condition and their role, along with any care and support they might need. 

On receipt of this, a Clinical Governance Team will triage the referral to identify the best course of action and advise the referring manager. An assessment appointment with the employee then takes place via one of the following: a telephone consultation; a video consultation; a face to face visit with an OH Nurse; or a consultation with an OH Physician. This assessment will evaluate how a health condition might be impacting the employee’s ability to carry out their job safely. 

At this point, the OH expert may also require some further medical information from the employee’s GP or specialist – if this is the case, the employee must be informed of the reason why their doctor is being contacted and provide written consent. They are also entitled to see the doctor’s report before it’s sent to the OH practitioner. 

It’s important to note here that the aim of the assessment is not to diagnose a medical condition – it is to provide guidance on how to create a safer working environment for the employee and assist with their return to work, including any adjustments. 

Occupational Health Referral Process & Considerations

For the occupational health referral process, the OH practitioner completes the report and shares it with the employee for approval. Following this, the employee can either approve the report or request that amendments are made. These changes will only be factual alterations, such as their name or date of birth; they cannot request changes to the opinion of the OH practitioner. Once the report has been approved by the employee, the OH practitioner shares it with the referring manager, or person that made the original referral. 

There are several considerations that need to be taken into account to ensure the occupational health referral process is carried out fairly. Occupational health referral employee rights have been put in place to ensure ethical standards are consistently met. These rights cover:

• Consent
• Confidentiality and the right for privacy
• Access to the full occupational occupational health report
• Right to challenge (this includes seeking a second opinion)

Transparency between the employee and their employer should show that this process is not designed to penalise, rather it is there to provide as much support as is needed. All information is handled sensitively and confidentially, so the employee can feel secure in sharing their personal details without risk of a breach of trust.

While the primary aim of the referral is to support the employee, they can refuse to give their consent or to see the OH practitioner – in such cases, they must raise any concerns with their employer who has a legal responsibility to ensure they are addressed. 

It should be noted that although some organisations can have individual policies that allow for self-referral, generally speaking the employee would need to approach their line manager or HR department to request assistance with an OH referral. Depending on the business, there may be a staff handbook that outlines the process, too. 

What to Expect From an Occupational Health Referral

During the assessment appointment, employees should be prepared to talk about their health and how it can impact their job role. It gives them the opportunity to speak in further detail about whether they feel as though their working environment is impacting their physical or mental health, as well as discussing any treatment they have been receiving. During this appointment, the employee can also suggest any support they feel as though they would benefit from to help them manage their health more effectively. 

You might be wondering, how long does an occupational health referral take? There is no universal answer for this as there are several factors at play: employee engagement, the complexity of the case and how urgently a resolution is required. As mentioned, the referral is the form that is completed and sent over to OH to be triaged. This can take anywhere from ten minutes to an hour, depending on the complexity of the case. 

The time taken for triaging can vary from four hours (Healthier Workforce service-level agreement) to days, depending on the OH provider. Securing an appointment with the OH practitioner can take from two – five days (Healthier Workforce service-level agreement) to three weeks, again, depending on the OH provider.

Generally speaking, the report is shared with the employee either the same day or the next. Once the report has been given its consent by the employee, the report is shared with the employer either the same day or the next. Here at Healthier Workforce, this part of the process is automated, so as soon as the employee approves, the referring manager receives the report in an instant. The report will be relevant, concise and focused on outcomes and value, both to the employee and the manager.

This means that the overall process can take anything from three days in straightforward cases, to over a week in extreme or complex ones.

The actionable report to management details the recommendations that can be made to protect the employee’s health and well-being. This evidence-based report supports the referring manager in their decision-making. It documents the reason for the referral, clinical information, observations of the employee’s health at the time of the assessment and relevant next steps, along with any advisory notes regarding their ability to fulfil their job role. 

Based on this, a rehabilitation plan will be drawn up that can involve medical treatment, therapy, recommended adjustments and regular assessments. This is a collaborative approach between the employer, employee and healthcare provider to promote a supportive, sustainable return to work while preventing further issues.

Understanding Recommended Adjustments

The aim of the adjustments recommended by an occupational health provider is to reduce any risks that might be impacting the health of the employee. These adjustments can be temporary or permanent, depending on their individual needs. These can include:

• Revised working hours
• Amended responsibilities / workload
• Ergonomic adaptations e.g. less heavy lifting, standing desks
• Regular breaks
• Counselling
• Further training

It’s important that these measures are implemented properly to ensure they are effective in managing the health and well-being of the employee. After all, a great deal of time and effort goes into making these recommendations, so it would be a shame for it all to go to waste because they weren’t followed through correctly. 

While employers are not legally contracted to implement every suggestion from the occupational health expert, they do have a legal duty of care to protect the health and well-being of their staff, so they should make reasonable adjustments where required. 

Choosing the Right Occupational Health Provider

First and foremost, working with an occupational health provider should be a partnership, no matter what service is required. Communication is key in the field of OH, which is why a company should be responsive and accessible in their approach. They will work discreetly to ensure employees feel supported rather than singled out, creating a respectful rapport where health concerns can be discussed without fear of being stigmatised.

Strong indicators of a trustworthy occupational health provider include:

• Flexible appointment methods e.g. via telephone, video, face-to-face
• Quick turnaround times without compromising on quality
• Clear, no-jargon recommendations
• Aftercare where required
• Industry-standard qualifications

• Experience with a wide client-base
• Impartiality and fully GDPR compliant

Healthier Workforce’s Occupational Health Services

Here at Healthier Workforce, we have been serving businesses throughout the UK to improve the physical and mental well-being of their employees. Our goal is to help businesses create a safer, healthier working environment where employees can feel cared for and perform at their best. 

Our online occupational health management referral form is simple and user-friendly, giving you the opportunity to provide as much detail as possible for our clinicians to review. We understand that time is of the essence for any business, which is why we have streamlined our processes to ensure there is minimal disruption or downtime to your workplace. Thanks to our help desk support, we provide an industry-leading response time to ensure your queries are answered quickly and efficiently. 

Established in 2009, we have been working with businesses of different sectors, including:

• Manufacturing
• Farming
• Construction
• Waste management
• Transport
• Utilities
• Public and private sectors
• Professional services and healthcare

We have fine-tuned our service offering to meet the needs of these industries, ensuring safety and compliance at the workplace; this is particularly important for workers who have physically demanding or high-pressure job roles. From office staff to ground workers, we will tailor our approach to meet the needs of the individual, helping to reduce absenteeism. Take a look at our case studies page to find out more about our work. 

You can access our services with flexible, pay-as-you-go options or as ongoing support, depending on the individual requirements of your business. We offer free advice and consultations, with no-obligation quotes for our services and no hidden costs. 

Why wait? Simply make an occupational health referral via our online form today, or give us a call to find out more about any of the services we offer businesses throughout the UK.