D277. Staff Occupational Health

Policy Statement

This organisation’s occupational health policy is to take all reasonable steps to prevent work-related ill-health, and to support the general health and wellbeing of its employees at all times.

Legal Requirements

To comply with the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and with associated legislation, this organisation must, as far as is reasonably practicable, ensure the health, safety and welfare of its staff. This includes, where relevant, the suitable and adequate provision of occupational health support.

Care service providers must also ensure, so far as it is reasonably practicable, that care workers are free of and are protected from exposure to infections that can be caught at work and which in a care setting could result in vulnerable service users being put at risk from cross-infection.

Requirements

To implement this policy, {{org_field_name}} will:

make sure that the causes of ill health that may arise from its activities are, wherever possible, identified, understood and either prevented or controlled
manage health problems through early recognition and monitoring
manage early return to work after sickness certification and, wherever possible, support rehabilitation after prolonged illness — in such cases, a return to work plan will be established with occupational health support where required
provide reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities to support them in employment
provide employees with information and services to help them take personal responsibility for maintaining and improving their own health
ensure that all new staff are subjected to appropriate levels of health screening and health checks
involve specialist occupational health services to advise on occupational health issues, ill-health incapacity or ill-health retirement
provide internally or contract from an external provider suitable occupational health services to ensure that the above aims are met.

Organisation

Arrangements for occupational health provision are the responsibility of the care manager.

Responsibilities

Promoting the involvement of employees and staff representatives in occupational health matters.
Implementing a management system which will undertake risk assessments, manage occupational health risks in proportion to their extent, and measure implementation actions through local audit.
Contracting arrangements and administrative accountability for the operation of an external occupational health service to perform specified occupational health roles and responsibilities.
The receipt and dissemination of activity reports.
The safe storage of confidential staff health records.

Staff also have a responsibility, as part of {{org_field_name}}’s health and safety policy, to comply with all the health and safety arrangements of {{org_field_name}} designed to protect their health while at work.

Fitness for Work and Rehabilitation

All new staff will be screened or made subject to an appropriate health check before starting work. This is to ensure that {{org_field_name}} does not inadvertently employ a person with a communicable disease or whose ill health would preclude them from performing their duties satisfactorily.

In this organisation, new job applicants will be offered employment on the basis of a successful health check.

For the majority of employees, demonstrating fitness for work will be a routine formality, but a more detailed assessment may be necessary for staff whose work involves contact with any known occupational hazards.
Where concerns are raised, the occupational health provider will advise on further action and will organise a follow-up health check as required. For most applicants where concern is raised an interview or an examination and biological tests may be necessary.

Existing staff who are returning to work after either short or long periods of sickness will be adequately supported, where necessary, by the provision of specialist occupational health service support and guidance. This will be offered:

on return to work following illness or injury
in situations where work performance is being adversely affected by a health problem
in situations where the capacity of a member of staff has been questioned and the cause is suspected to be health related
in situations where ill-health retirement has been requested or recommended.

The occupational health provider may need to discuss the working situation with the local manager or GP prior to any decision being reached about an applicant’s or existing employee’s fitness for work or placement. Pertinent medical advice can then be given.

When an employee has health problems requiring consideration for rehabilitation after illness, discussions will take place between the employee and the care manager.

Health Maintenance

There are situations where it will be necessary to review at regular intervals the health of certain staff and the environment they work in. This will be done informally or by confidential interview with a contracted occupational health provider.

Periodic Assessments

Periodic assessments will be completed if staff are exposed to known hazards. Staff with known health problems and chronic conditions will, with their agreement, be monitored.

Education and Training

It is important that education and training are seen as being part of the remit of an occupational health service.

Record Keeping

Various records will need to be kept to:

ensure correct medical action is taken on the basis of sound information
meet legal requirements
give an indicator of some of the benefits gained.

Records normally comprise:

confidential medical records — records will be kept of all injuries, sickness, absence, treatments, referrals and advice and are only available to medical personnel and the individual
non-confidential records — these do not refer specifically to any given individual’s medical information and may be used without confidentiality restrictions.

All occupational health information held about individual staff will be treated confidentially. Employees have a statutory right of access to their own records.

Confidentiality

{{org_field_name}} will have information about the health of staff. Information and records will not be divulged to any non-medical staff, including occupational health services, without the written consent of the individual. Employees have a statutory right of access to their own records.

This does not preclude non-confidential records being reported to ensure {{org_field_name}} has a basis on which to take remedial measures, safeguards and decisions affecting its employees’ interests.

Occupational health staff are guided by their own professional codes of conduct in matters of confidentiality.

Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

Next review date: this policy is reviewed annually (every 12 months). When needed, this policy is also updated in response to changes in legislation, regulation, best practices, or organisational changes.

D277. Staff Occupational Health