Occupational Health clearance

Bassmansam

Bassmansam

Bassmansam

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22 Nov 2007
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I have been offered an admin role at a university and they have said i need to clear occupational health. Does anyone know what this entails? E.g. blood tests ect? Never had to do one for an office based role.
 
You get a questionnaire, you fill it out and post it back. They may phone you if they need to ask some questions. That's from my experience 4 months ago for the role I have now.

I have:

Headaches/migraines
Depression
Psoriatic Arthritis (auto-immune disease that causes severe pain to all my joints)

15 minute conversation on the phone regarding the depression, medication, the PsA and the meds. Got the all clear.
 
Very common thing these days. As said you'll probably first and foremost have to complete a questionnaire asking you if you suffer from any number of broad categories of medical complaints - respiratory, digestive, mental, etc, etc. If you say "yes" to certain things (depending on the job) then they will refer you to a doctor and you'll have to either meet with them or have a phone call with them to explain the issues. They'll then send the prospective employer a letter detailing whether they think you can do the job based on your particular health issues, and whether your employer needs to make any changes to your duties or your working environment to accommodate you.
 
Bassmansam said:
I have been offered an admin role at a university and they have said i need to clear occupational health. Does anyone know what this entails? E.g. blood tests ect? Never had to do one for an office based role.
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You talk to a person who has literally zero idea as to why you are there, then asks you a bunch of questions to see whether or not you can do the job. They sign this off and send to employer.

Load of codswobble.
 
Thanks for your answers. It seems quite vague though, for example i was anxious at the job interview, i get anxious occasaionaly like anyone else would. Would you note that down?

I definitely hear a noise in my right ear in quieter places so thats tinnitus but not sure if i would disclose it as technically i guess it is a condition.
 
Bassmansam said:
Thanks for your answers. It seems quite vague though, for example i was anxious at the job interview, i get anxious occasaionaly like anyone else would. Would you note that down?

I definitely hear a noise in my right ear in quieter places so thats tinnitus but not sure if i would disclose it as technically i guess it is a condition.
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Depends whether you think the anxiety is something that might impair your work or not. It's not unusual to get a bit anxious at an interview, but it depends how much you think it's an issue beyond that.

Sometimes it's worded specifically to ask whether you have any conditions which could affect your day to day work. I answer that I have depression and anxiety, but that's based on 20+ years of diagnosis, counselling and on/off medication. Go figure.
 
Vonhelmet said:
Depends whether you think the anxiety is something that might impair your work or not. It's not unusual to get a bit anxious at an interview, but it depends how much you think it's an issue beyond that.

Sometimes it's worded specifically to ask whether you have any conditions which could affect your day to day work. I answer that I have depression and anxiety, but that's based on 20+ years of diagnosis, counselling and on/off medication. Go figure.
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Ahh ok yeah i see what you mean, thanks.
 
I mentioned my Anxiety (diagnosed) on the one I have just done for a new role, was completely honest about everything. Ironically they called me up and asked me questions about hay fever and weren't remotely interested in my anxiety :P

Its worth remembering that they can request access to your medical records if they need to so anything you neglect to mention that they might then see if they request them is never a good thing. You need to remember that the OH form is there so that they can deal with any adjustments they need to make to help you.
 
LOAM said:
I mentioned my Anxiety (diagnosed) on the one I have just done for a new role, was completely honest about everything. Ironically they called me up and asked me questions about hay fever and weren't remotely interested in my anxiety :p

Its worth remembering that they can request access to your medical records if they need to so anything you neglect to mention that they might then see if they request them is never a good thing. You need to remember that the OH form is there so that they can deal with any adjustments they need to make to help you.
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Thanks, i have mentioned tinnitus to my gp so i will declare and then theres nothing to hide. Not sure what they can do with that information though, “so you hear a static noise on your ear?” “Yes” ..
 
They don't really do anything with it at all, they are looking to see if you need anything that would help you IE a different type of chair if you have a bad back or if you have allergies that they could limit your exposure to etc.

One of the questions on mine (for local authority, likely very similar) was "have you ever been in hospital?". Its a very vague and almost irrelevant question for some people, I had collapsed lungs in 1997 which left me hospital for 3 days, I mentioned it but its largely irrelevant and they weren't interested. As I say they were only interested in my hay fever and what I took to control it.
 
LOAM said:
They don't really do anything with it at all, they are looking to see if you need anything that would help you IE a different type of chair if you have a bad back or if you have allergies that they could limit your exposure to etc.
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As with everything HR related, it's to do with protecting the company. They want to know up front and do something about it there and then so you don't sue them later for mishandling some health or disability issue.
 
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