Request a Referral

Ask yourself the below questions to determine whether an employee needs a referral, or whether you as their manager can support them sufficiently. 

As the manager have you:  

• Undertaken the Individual Stress Assessment and agreed an action plan? 
• Implemented all practical solutions to support the employee from a managerial perspective?  
  • Altered hours (e.g., later starts, earlier finishes) work from home, hybrid working 
  • Decreased workload
  • Childcare support
  • Training
• Trialled all/any possible temporary adjustments to support the employee? E.g.,  
  • Shift pattern change 
  • Refraining from certain tasks
  • Colleague support/or supervision 

*Advice on temporary adjustments on the Management of Stress and Mental Health can be found on the following link - Managing Stress & Mental Health in the Workplace (Toolkit for Managers)

• Provided the employee with links to external support agencies and the Help & Support Health & Wellbeing intranet pages

As the employee have you: 

• Contacted the GP to discuss your health concerns? 
• Contacted the GP to request an onward referral for support? 

If following the above you mutually agree an Occupational health referral would still be required, Click the appropriate link below: 

A trigger point in sickness policy reached*, concerns for employee’s wellbeing, or employee requesting support. 

* Referral is not always necessary. e.g. If 4 minor illnesses occur (ie: cold/cough) a referral would not necessarily be required. Each case should be judged on its own merit. 

To ensure you and your employee gain the most out of a referral to Occupational Health, please work through the below prior to referral:

Have you discussed the Occupational Health referral with the employee?

It is imperative that the referral is discussed with the employee prior to submitting. This to ensure they are happy to proceed and also to ensure that you as the manager have discussed the reasons for referral in detail and have all relevant details required.

Do you have all employee details to ensure you are able to complete the form?

Address and Job details will automatically populate.

You will require:

• Employee Number
• Sickness Absence History
• Email address (Please ensure that the employee provides you with the most appropriate email address for them)

Is the referral for medical advice relating to an employee’s condition or is it a request for support?

Medical Advice – Where medical advice is required, the referral will be triaged to one of our occupational health clinicians (Occupational Health Advisor/ Physician/ Consultant). They will undertake an assessment with the employee and, following consent, provide a medical report to support the health of the employee and provide you with the valuable information to best support the employee return to or maintain work.

Support – Where support is required, the referral will be triaged to our Wellbeing Support Practitioners who will undertake an initial assessment to deem whether the support is appropriate and if so, provide further sessions of support.

Is the reason Home/ Work or Health related?

It is important to understand the reason for referral and ensure you have all relevant details to complete the referral form. The form will ask for a background and about adjustments. Below are some tips on ensuring you are including all appropriate information:

Background:

• Diagnosis
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Impact of work on health/ health on work
• Has the absence been managed e.g. what stage is the employee on?
• Has the employee previously been to OH?

: What assistance/support has been offered or arranged to date? Tell us about any adjustments that have been put in place to date with timescales as well as any that can be accommodated moving forward.

• Phased return
• Light duties

Additional for re-referrals/updates:

• All necessary information regarding the employee since the last appointment.
• Any adjustments that have been put in place, and their timescales and any further adjustments you can/cannot accommodate.
• Information regarding to any additional support that has been put in place.
• Ensure that the consultation questions are relevant to the information that you wish to receive from the report and input any additional questions that you wish to have answered

Your manager will complete an E-referral form with you or notify you of the contents and the reason for completing a referral. This is then submitted to our Occupational Health Team.

Occupational Health E-Referral Form (Internal)

Occupational Health E-Referral Form (Chair Of Governors)

Note for managers: Is the referral perceived to be work related stress? If so complete an Individual Stress Assessment form (.doc) and upload with your referral or complete any initial actions and then make the referral if appropriate.

Occupational Health Advisor (OHA) will triage your referral and agree on appropriate action, whether this is to be seen by an Occupational Health Advisor / Occupational Health Physician (OHP) / Wellbeing Support Practitioner.

An appointment will be arranged within 10 working days of receiving the referral from your manager. Both you and your manager will be notified of this appointment. 

If a referral to the Wellbeing Support Service (WSS) is appropriate you will be given a PHQ & GAD stress assessment form to complete before your initial appointment. 

You will receive appropriate literature relating to your appointment. 

During your appointment, your consent is received and a report will be written and emailed back to your line manager within 10 working days.  Your manager will discuss the report and any recommendations with you.

If you have attended an initial Wellbeing Support appointment, your manager will be notified that you have been accepted to the service and the date of your next appointment. Following this, you should then keep your manager informed of future appointments. Your manager will receive a discharge report when you have completed your sessions.