Our occupational health experts are here to give help with questions about the management of absence, attendance at work, or to help understand an employee’s capability to work.
For line managers: line managers can also reach out to our occupational health experts for help with submitting a referral.
How to make a good referral (if you’re a line manager)
Example Referral forms:
- Example Performance Attendance Management Referral Form
- Example MSK Performance Attendance Management Referral Form
When to refer to occupational health?
It is important as a manager that you make a timely referral so that our colleagues receive the support they need when they need it.
Please refer an employee when:
- They request a referral.
- There is a continued concern about short-term sickness or long-term sickness absence, including the management of return to work.
- There are concerns that an employee’s health may lead to sickness absence.
- You have a direct employee with a health concern that may require. Occupational health advice, including recommendations for adjustments, information, guidance and/or signposting for support.
Background History
When making a referral, please include as much relevant information as possible. This will make the process quicker and easier to deliver the service you need.
Please aim to include:
Context
- State what advice/information you’re hoping to obtain.
- Are they able to carry out their job?
- Do they have any previous history of their current condition?
- State the diagnosis on their medical/self-certificate.
Absence details
- State whether they are currently absent from work. When was the first day of absence? Is their attendance pattern causing concern?
- Do you have a confirmed return to work date or an indication from them or their GP about how long they may be absent?
- Are they on long term sickness absence?
- Are there any personal issues that they have disclosed?
Role
- The role the member of staff is contracted to do.
- Do they work full time or part time?
- Do they work shifts? If so what pattern/times.
- Job title and a description of the type of work the colleague does. Please state if their role is safety critical.
- Whether their role involves driving.
Workplace Adjustments
In some cases, a direct report may have returned to work on adjusted duties but still require occupational health advice.
Please outline in the referral that you make:
- Has there been agreement on adjusting their work practice?
- If so was it successful? If not, what difficulties were they experiencing?
Questions
Please include any questions you would like the clinician to address within the occupational health report. To do this you should outline any other issues that you would like addressed, specific to this person and the current referral.
Occupational health will provide advice on the following when requested:
- Any adjustments to the work role or work environment that you should consider.
- A timescale for return to work (where possible).