Management Referral
One of the roles of the Occupational Health Unit is to advise both employees and their managers in relation to the impact of work on employees' health and welfare, and effects of employees' health on their ability to perform their work satisfactorily.
Management referrals
University policy advises managers and/or supervisors to refer employees to Occupational Health if the manager identifies a possible health issue that is likely to have an ongoing effect on work attendance or performance. Individuals can also be referred whilst they are attending work, if work appears to be affected.
Staff in Occupational Health are happy to discuss the referral process if a manager is unsure whether to refer an individual or not.
To make a management referral a referral form should be completed and sent to the Occupational Health Unit.
Completing the form
The person making the referral should ensure the referred employee is aware of the referral and the rationale behind it.
- Please fill in as much as you can of Section 1 and 2, this will save time and effort later on.
- In section 3, indicate the reason for your referral.
- Give as much information as possible, if you need guidance about content, contact your Occupational Health adviser and/or Human Resources adviser.
The completed form should be sent in confidence either electronically or by internal mail to the Occupational Health mailbox where it will be passed to the relevant adviser for your area.
The employee will be contacted by the OHU and an appointment for consultation arranged as soon as possible.
Absence Management Policy: Sickness, Ill-Health and Related Absence
After the employee has attended their appointment, and with employee consent, the adviser concerned will make contact with the manager in order to address the questions raised in the referral.
This feedback will have been discussed with the employee.
The role of the OHU is purely advisory, both to manager and employee, and is in no way enforcing or disciplinary.
Confidentiality
The Occupational Health Unit is staffed by registered health and accredited specialists in Occupational Health, who provide a confidential service.
This means that personal information is treated in medical confidence, and will not be shared unless the employee gives consent.
The exception to this is where Occupational Health are given information which is considered to pose a significant risk to health and safety of the individual or others.