Management Referrals 101

As a manager, would you like to obtain a doctor’s opinion on a medical condition that is affecting one of your staff?

Perhaps they are taking a lot of time off and you’d like to help them reduce their sickness absence rate.

Maybe they have a disability and you want to thoroughly understand how it is affecting them, obtain ideas on how you can help improve their workplace experience, and ensure you are complying with your legal obligations under the Equality Act.

Have they had a heart attack, stroke, or other serious medical issue and you need to plan ahead to minimise the effect on your business?

Would you like advice because they are showing signs of alcohol or drug misuse, or performing poorly at work and you suspect a medical or mental health related condition?

This in-depth version of our popular Breakfast Meeting talks you guides you through the process of submitting a well thought out Management Referral to Occupational Health and interpreting the doctor’s report.

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Why you should attend this course:

  • A poorly written referral results in wasted time, money, and opportunity. Attend this course to learn how to improve your chance of getting the answers you really need to manage your employee’s health issue.
  • You will practice writing referrals with the support of a specially qualified nurse, so you leave. confident that your next referral will be a success
  • The main reason why a doctor’s report may not adequately address the issues you need to manage is a poorly written initial referral.

What you will learn on this course:

  • The Process: The journey your referral will take from submission to you obtaining the completed doctor’s report.
  • Questions: How to phrase your questions to maximise your chances of obtaining the answers you need.
  • The Law: Learn about the legal rights to privacy that your employee has, and how we help you comply with the law.

This course is suitable for business owners, managers, and HR professionals.

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See what others think of Management Referrals 101

“Really great course – I now know how much I didn’t know and I understand it!”

"Fabulous venue and great presenter. Really good informative course. Well worth coming. Thank you"

"I really enjoyed this course. It has given me the skills to ask the questions I need answers to. Wish I’d attended years ago!"

Format

  • 3½ hours, including refreshment and comfort breaks
  • You can attend in person, or remotely via video conference
  • Learning takes place through a mixture of presentations, group discussions and workshop activities
  • Places are limited to a maximum of places to 12 to ensure the trainers and nurses have time to thoroughly answer your questions

Course Structure

  • The role of Occupational Health (OH) within the management and HR process
  • How OH doctors are different to a typical GP
  • Reasons to refer an employee to occupational health
  • Reasons not to refer an employee to occupational health
  • What to expect from the doctor’s report
  • Legal aspects, including how the employee’s right to privacy might affect the outcome
  • Medical confidentiality and Safeguarding
  • The referral process including how to submit a referral
  • How to ask the very best questions for your situation
  • Referral writing workshop

Upcoming Dates

Find all of our upcoming training dates for Management Referrals 101 on the Eventbrite link below.

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This course will be taught by two members of our team: 

  • one of our senior trainers; and.
  • a fully qualified nurse with additional qualifications in Occupational Medicine (typically, a degree) and at least 10 years’ experience of working in Occupational Health
Upcoming Courses Reminder

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can’t I ask my employee’s GP for advice?

Your employee’s GP will not speak with you. In addition to the privacy implications, we know that NHS doctors are under a great deal of time pressure. Your employee’s GP only has time to support their patient.

In addition, our doctors have qualifications and experience in Occupational Medicine that GPs do not tend to have. This makes them better placed to answer your questions as they will consider the impact of their advice on your business and ensure their advice complies with employment, equality, and Health and Safety law.

Unless you submit a Management Referral to Occupational Health, you will need to rely on the information your employee tells you about their condition.

Can I force an employee to attend an occupational health appointment?

We have a detailed article addressing that question here: https://www.occupationalhealthltd.co.uk/blog/employee-engagement/ 

Do I have to pay for my employee’s appointment with your doctors?

Yes. Occupational Health provision for private companies is not covered by the NHS.

Can my employee refuse to let me see your doctor’s report?

We go into this in some depth on the course. In a nutshell, legally, they do have the right to prevent us showing you our report. However, if you engage with your employee in the manner suggested on this course, it is extremely rare that this happens.