It can be daunting and scary to come to an Occupational Health appointment if you haven’t been before. Whether the appointment is for health surveillance, a vaccination/blood test or as a result of a management referral there are a number of things to do and bring that will make the visit go more smoothly.
Appointment letter
We send out appointment letters regardless of whether it is at our clinic or by telephone or video call. Make sure you read the letter carefully it will detail the date and time of the appointment, who it is with and where (including if it is telephone or video), if it is a video call there will be a Zoom link in the letter. If it is at our Southampton clinic there will be a link to detailed directions on how to find us.
If you are being seen at an onsite clinic at your workplace for health surveillance, then your line manager or HR Department will give you details of the appointment date and time.
It’s really important to arrive on time for your appointment. All our clinics are usually very full and if you are late, we may not be able to see you.
What to bring?
If you are coming for an Occupational Health appointment because you have been referred by your manager or HR there are things that you can bring which are really helpful:
- A list of your current medication (Your repeat prescription will have all the information on it)
- If you are being seen by a hospital Consultant, they will write a letter to update your GP every time you are seen. You should receive a copy of the letter, if not you can request to do so or simply download the NHS app where you will find all the letters stored. Having this information with you and available to Occupational Health makes it quicker and easier to clarify any treatment, investigations, or medication you are having. This may assist in your return to work.
If you are attending for a health surveillance appointment, please bring with you:
- A list of your current medication (Your repeat prescription will have all the information on it)
If you are attending for a safety-critical or driver medical, please bring with you:
- A list of your current medication (Your repeat prescription will have all the information on it)
- Glasses, for distance or near vision
- Please do not go to the toilet immediately before the appointment as giving a urine sample is part of the medical.
If you are attending for a vaccination, please bring with you:
- If you have had occupational vaccinations in another job, please bring details of those with you so that we can update your records and ensure you are given the correct course.
If you are running late, lost or just anxious please call us and we will do our best to help you. We try and ensure that every Occupational Health appointment is as smooth as possible. If you are unsure of anything, please ask us we are happy to help.
