For Employees

Well managed work is good for you, but hazards at work can affect your health.

Consultations and health assessments for workers with health concerns, conditions and disabilities

Asante OHS theme is that work offers more than money. It is an identity. We help both employees and employers make work enjoyable and sustainable for many years to come. It is our job to deal with barriers to work and build economy.

Employee’s health can affect work in a variety of ways. Employer may seek advice from Asante OHS if employee’s health is affecting attendance, performance, relationships or safety at work. An employer may also seek advice before making important decisions regarding fitness to attend investigation and disciplinary, dismissal or ill health retirement.

Sickness absence affects both employee and employer. This can be long term sickness absence or recurring short term absences. For an employee it leads to loss of confidence, financial difficulties, loss of identity and loss of social interactions. For employers it causes reduced productivity, complaints, loss of skills, stress to remaining employees and recruitment challenges.

Employee’s health can be affected by their work and employee health can create a safety issue. Therefore, assessment is recommended following an incident or accident at work. Some roles require employees to meet specific fitness standards.

Asante OHS advocates the benefits of working

Asante OHS provides evidence based, confidential and impartial advice to employee and employer about employee’s fitness to fulfil their contracted duties; about work hazards and risks likely to affect the health of specific employees; and health barriers likely to affect performance, attendance or safety.

Remaining in employment is not equivalent to perfect health. Therefore, Asante OHS gives advice on workplace adjustments based on limitations and strengths of each employee and nature of work demands. Employees are guided to make informed decisions about their health and work.

Asante OHS understand that employers are expected to make reasonable and practicable adjustments for disadvantaged employees.

Occupational health assessments

This service’s purpose is to advise you and your employer about the relationship of health and work. The service aims to ensure that your health is protected and legal obligations are fulfilled.

When you apply for a new role, your employer may need advice on fitness to do the role and any adjustments required. At this stage we will seek to know your state of health, any disabilities you may have and any work hazards that may affect your health. At this stage we may advise on relevant workplace adjustments and about future relevant assessments.
Your employer may request health surveillance for those exposed to hazards such as dust, chemicals, allergens, noise, vibration etc. Health surveillance ensures that early signs of ill health can be detected and dealt with promptly. Your employer is required to protect employees under the Health and Safety Act. This is a legal requirement.
You may be required to meet standards to do your role, if it is safety critical. Safety critical medical assessments are to identify health problems likely to affect safety of others. This may be a legal requirement or your employer’s policy requirement.
You may have a health condition that may affect work attendance and performance. Your manager may refer you for an occupational health assessment seeking advice on your fitness to work, how best to support you at work and how to facilitate your return to work. Other reasons for referral may be related to investigations after an incident at work or following a work-related injury.

What will happen at the appointment?

The assessing professional will discuss with you your health and work situation. They may ask to examine you depending on your condition. This will be done with your consent. If intimate, a chaperone will be arranged.

Please note we do not have access to your GP or hospital records. Additional information may be requested from your own GP or specialist with your written consent. Alternatively, you may provide information you hold about your health, if you feel it is necessary.

Once the assessment has been completed, the assessing professional will discuss their recommendations with you. You may choose to see a copy of the report before it is released; to see a copy of the report at the same time as it is released; or not to see a copy of the report. You may choose not to give consent. You can withdraw your consent at any time before the report is sent out.

Should there be any factual inaccuracies in the report, you can bring this to the attention of the professional immediately upon receipt, who will make amendments. The professional opinion may not be amended, unless there is a factual error.

Each person is managed on an individual basis.

You will receive a feedback survey questionnaire with your report. We will be grateful for your feedback. This will help us improve our service.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Appointments are available either face to face, by telephone or by video call. Let us know if you have any disability so that appropriate arrangements and adjustments are made. You are welcome to have a family member or friend with you, so long as you are comfortable about your own confidentiality.

Your employer has the option of making an appointment for you after discussing your needs with you.

We appreciate information in advance on how you want to be addressed or known, if your employer has not informed us in advance. If not, let us know immediately on arrival.

The office is located on the lower ground floor. There are 2 entrances available. If you enter through the main door, the access will require use of stairs. If you have a disability, ask for access through the lower ground entrance. There are 2 small steps to manoeuvre. Let us know if you are a wheelchair user.

About your information

Occupational Health Records are subject to a legal, professional and ethical duty to maintain confidentiality.

Your information will be kept securely on an electronic database, and no one else has access to it. You have a right of access to all the information we hold about you. At any time, you can ask to receive a copy of the report.

Information held about you is only used to provide advice about your health and work.

Your records will be retained for 6 years after you have left employment or until your 75th birthday, whichever comes first. The notes will then be destroyed. But if you have been exposed to certain hazards at work e.g. asbestos or ionising radiation, your health surveillance record will be kept according to regulation.

If you believe that information we hold about you is not accurate, you should inform us in writing so we can add this to your records.

Well managed work is good for you, but hazards at work can affect your health.