BusinessMedical - Health Assessments of individual employees’ health and fitness for work

Individual employees health assessments

Our assessment of individual employees can help you in a number of areas including:

Sickness absence - long term and frequent short term
Health factors affecting work performance
Alcohol or drug concerns
Health affecting safety in the workplace
Ill Health Retiral
Disability Discrimination Act
Pre-employment health assessments
Drivers’ medicals
Food Handlers’ medicals

The employee may have a medical or health condition which can affect their ability to perform their duties or part of their duties. The condition may, or may not, be liable to come under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).

Or there may be a potential for employees’ health to be affected by hazards at the workplace, and in some case health surveillance may be required under legislation.

Sickness absence - long term and frequent short term

Employers refer individuals to us who are, or recently have been, off work on sickness absence.

We can establish:

If there is a medical or health condition
The likelihood of the condition being covered by the DDA
That the individual employee is attending a doctor for appropriate investigations and treatment
Liaison with the GP/hospital specialists, with the written consent of the employee
A potential timescale of fitness to return to duties
What advice can be given to support return to work. This might include a phased return in hours and duties, restricted activities, adjustments at the workplace etc.
If there are any issues at the workplace which are impacting on employees' health
Health issues preventing a return to regular and effective employment

We advise you the employer. You can then make the appropriate decisions, and take action.

Health factors affecting performance

Employers may be concerned that an employee has a medical or health condition which is affecting performance at work.

Referral to occupational heath is to establish:

If there are any health or medical issues
How health issues may impact upon performance
What can be done to improve matters by the employee, the employer or other parties

Alcohol or drug concerns

Are you concerned that an employee is subject to alcohol or substance/drug abuse affecting performance or safety at the workplace?

You can refer the employee for expert advice on dealing with this sensitive and difficult issue. If you do not have an alcohol or substance abuse policy, we can help you to develop one for your business. You can then deal with these problems more effectively.

Health affecting safety in the workplace

Some medical or health conditions can affect safety at the workplace.

This can depend on the condition, the job, the environment and the individual circumstances.

We advise you the employer and the employee. You can then make the appropriate decisions, and take action.

Ill Health Retiral

We can give advice on whether an individual employee is likely to fit the criteria for retirement on medical grounds.

This will depend on the medical condition, the prognosis of the medical condition, the capabilities of the individual and the exact wording of the company pension scheme.

Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and adjustments

We can advise you as to:

whether the DDA is likely to apply to an employee with a medical or health condition
what adjustments could be considered for that employee to enable them to return to work or to continue in work
what further assessments might be required, so that we are able to give advice on adjustments.

Pre-employment health assessments

We can give pre-employment (or pre-placement) health assessments of prospective employees, for any specific job.

Details of the job description and the hazards of the specific job are required to enable us to carry out this assessment.

We can advise on fitness for the role/any adjustments that may be required under the Disability Discrimination Act.

Drivers’ medicals

Medical assessments are required for certain categories of professional drivers under DVLA rules, or under the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations.

These will enable your organisation to meet your obligations within the law, and prevent work accidents, as well as benefiting employees’ health.

Large Goods Vehicles (LGV formerly HGV) drivers' medicals
Passenger Carrying Vehicles (PCV formerly PSV) drivers' medicals
Taxi drivers' medicals
Fork-lift truck drivers' medicals

Food Handlers’ medicals

In order for a business employing food handlers to fulfill their legal obligations relating to Food Safety, Business Medical can offer health screening for such employees.

Health screening can

Identify any health conditions likely to affect the safety of food e.g. Salmonella
Identify any health conditions likely to be made worse working as a food handler e.g. allergies, skin conditions
Assess suitability of fitness of a food handler to return to work following illness or foreign travel.

For further information contact us.