• Replies 15 replies
  • Subscribers 86 subscribers
  • Views 662 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Seeking experiences with the Occupational Health referral process

MolyMCW

I’m looking for some advice/experiences regarding Occupational Health (OH) referrals.

My partner has dyslexia and ADHD and was recently diagnosed with ASD. He has been experiencing significant difficulties at work and is currently off sick due to anxiety related to his work environment.

He requested an OH referral through work about a month ago, after discussing it with a specialist at his GP practice. He is hoping that an OH assessment could help identify appropriate workplace adjustments and support.

We also found in the sickness policy that his manager should normally have initiated an OH referral after around four weeks of sickness absence.

What I have found online mostly concerns employees being referred to OH. I haven’t found much about situations where the employer is reluctant or difficult about making the referral in the first place.

Has anyone experienced something similar?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thank you.

Parents

  • I haven’t been through this myself, but I’d keep chasing it, especially if the policy says an OH referral would normally be made after four weeks. I’d send a short email to the manager or HR asking whether the referral has been submitted and, if not, when they expect to do it. Having everything in writing is helpful too.

    It also seems worth checking if he can contact Occupational Health directly or if HR can arrange the referral instead of waiting for the manager. I’d be interested to hear what others have experienced because this sounds more difficult than it needs to be.

Reply

  • I haven’t been through this myself, but I’d keep chasing it, especially if the policy says an OH referral would normally be made after four weeks. I’d send a short email to the manager or HR asking whether the referral has been submitted and, if not, when they expect to do it. Having everything in writing is helpful too.

    It also seems worth checking if he can contact Occupational Health directly or if HR can arrange the referral instead of waiting for the manager. I’d be interested to hear what others have experienced because this sounds more difficult than it needs to be.

Children
  • in reply to NewuserDM170826

    Thank you. It has been a long, painful, frustrating and heart breaking experience. It feels like they might be hoping my partner would just leave? and they weren’t expecting the OH request somehow? So much energy spent in chasing it with more and more anxiety build up. It really isn’t fair for someone need support for a very long time. :’( But we’ll keep trying. :)