Management Referral
When someone is off sick, struggling in their role, or asking for adjustments, you need advice you can act on and defend. Our management referrals give you a clear answer to the questions you actually asked, from an Advisor or a physician depending on what the case needs.
How Management Referral works with OccuMed
A management referral is only as good as the question it asks. "Please assess this employee" gets you a report that tells you very little. "Is she fit to return to her substantive role, and if not, what would need to change and over what timescale?" gets you something you can build a decision on.
We help you ask better questions. Referrals come back with practical answers on fitness, likely timescales, what adjustments would help and whether they are reasonable, and whether the Equality Act is likely to be engaged. Where a case is complex, contested, or heading towards ill-health retirement, it goes to our Occupational Health Physician rather than being stretched to fit an Advisor appointment.
Employees are seen by phone, video or face to face, usually within days rather than weeks. Reports are written in plain English so a line manager can act on them without a clinician to interpret.
The employee consents to the assessment and to the report before it is written, and they are told what will be shared. You receive advice on function, fitness and adjustments. You do not receive clinical detail, diagnoses or medical history unless the employee has specifically agreed to it. Health information is special category data under UK GDPR and is handled accordingly. Where a report from a treating clinician is needed, the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988 gives the employee specific rights, and we manage that process for you.
- 01
Referral Question Support
We review your referral before it goes ahead and tell you if the questions will not get you what you need. Half the value of a referral is in how it is worded.
- 02
Advisor Assessments
Most referrals are handled by an Occupational Health Advisor, covering absence, return to work, capability and adjustment questions.
- 03
Physician Assessments
Complex, contested or long-running cases go to our Occupational Health Physician, including ill-health retirement opinions and cases where a formal medical opinion is needed.
- 04
Adjustments and Reasonableness
We tell you what adjustments would help, how long they are likely to be needed, and whether they are reasonable in your context.
- 05
Consent and Confidentiality
The employee consents before the report is written and knows what will be shared. You receive advice on fitness and function, not clinical detail.
- 06
Flexible Appointments
By phone, video or face to face, usually within days. Reports follow promptly and are written for a manager to act on.
In summary
- Get a clear answer to the question you actually asked, not a general health report.
- Advisor or physician input depending on what the case needs.
- Advice on adjustments, timescales and reasonableness a manager can act on.
