What to Expect from an Occupational Health Assessment

Being asked to attend an occupational health assessment can feel daunting, especially if you’re not sure why you’ve been referred or what will happen on the day. If you’re an employer, you’ll want to understand the process before you refer an employee, so you can explain it clearly and get the most from the advice.

Ill health at work affects many organisations. According to the Health and Safety Executive, an estimated 1.9 million workers in Great Britain had work-related ill health in 2024/25, and 964,000 of them reported stress, depression or anxiety. The CIPD’s Health and Wellbeing at Work report found that sickness absence has risen to an average of 9.4 days per employee per year, the highest level in more than 15 years.

This guide explains what an occupational health assessment is, why it’s used, and what happens before, during and after it.

What Is an Occupational Health Assessment?

An occupational health assessment looks at how an employee’s health affects their ability to do their job, and how their job may be affecting their health. It’s carried out by an occupational health professional, such as an occupational health nurse, physiotherapist or a physician trained in occupational medicine.

It isn’t the same as seeing your GP. The aim isn’t to diagnose or treat. Instead, the clinician gives impartial, evidence based advice to both the worker and the employer about fitness for work, workplace adjustments and next steps. Occupational health plays a key role in helping people stay in work, return to work after illness, and work safely throughout their working life.

When Is an Occupational Health Assessment Used?

Occupational health assessments are used in many situations, including:

• Long term absence or frequent short absences, to plan a safe, sustainable return to work.
• Returning after illness, injury or surgery, where a phased return may help.
• A health condition affecting performance, such as back pain, a neurological condition or physical limitations that make certain duties harder.
• Mental health concerns, including stress, anxiety and burnout.
• A disclosed disability, where the employer needs advice on making reasonable adjustments.
• Safety concerns, where an employer needs to know whether someone can safely perform the duties of their job role.
• Starting a new job, through a pre-employment health assessment.

Most assessments start with a management referral. Being referred doesn’t mean you’re in trouble. In most cases, the employer simply wants expert advice on how best to support you.

Before the Assessment

Before any referral, your manager or HR team should explain why they’re referring you for an occupational health assessment, and what the process involves. You’ll usually be asked to sign a consent form. The employer then completes the referral, giving details of your role, your working hours and shift patterns, your absence history and any adjustments already tried.

Good referral questions are specific. Asking “Is the employee medically fit to return to night shifts?” or “What practical adjustments would help them carry out their duties safely?” gets far more useful answers than “Please advise”.

You can’t be made to attend an occupational health assessment. However, Acas guidance explains that if you decline, your employer may have to make decisions based on the information it already has. Our article on occupational health management referrals gives further guidance for employers.

What Happens During the Assessment

Assessments can take place in a clinic, at your workplace, or remotely by video consultation or telephone. Most last between 30 minutes and an hour.

The clinician will usually talk with you about:

• Your medical history, current symptoms and any treatment you’re receiving
• Your job: the tasks involved, your hours and the physical and mental demands
• How your health issues are affecting your work, and whether anything in your work environment is making them worse
• What you feel would help you stay in work or return to work

If it’s relevant, the clinician may carry out a medical examination or some physical tests, such as checking movement and strength for a musculoskeletal problem. If the referral relates to stress or anxiety, they’ll look at workplace pressures alongside your wellbeing. Employers can also use the HSE’s Management Standards to tackle the causes of work-related stress.

The assessment is a two-way conversation. The more openly you can talk about your concerns, the more relevant and useful the advice will be.

After the Assessment: The Report

The clinician then writes a report answering the referral questions. You should normally be able to see it before it’s released, and it’s only shared with your employer with your consent. A typical report covers:

• Whether you’re fit for work, and in what capacity
• How long recovery is likely to take
• Recommended adjustments, such as changes to working hours, duties or equipment
• Whether a phased return would help
• Whether the Equality Act 2010 is likely to apply

The report won’t include your full medical records. It focuses on what you can and can’t do at work and what additional support would help. Health information is special category data under UK GDPR, and the ICO sets strict rules on how employers handle it.

What Employers Need to Know

Occupational health advice isn’t binding, but it carries real weight. Under equality law, employers have legal obligations to disabled employees, including making reasonable adjustments. Employment tribunals often look at whether an employer sought, and properly considered, clinical input before acting. That’s particularly important for decisions made on health grounds, such as dismissal or redeployment. If you decide not to follow a recommendation, you should record a clear reason.

Some assessments are a legal requirement in their own right. Where employees are exposed to hazards such as noise, vibration, dust or hazardous substances, health surveillance is required by law. This can include hearing, lung function, skin and HAVS testing. Pre-employment medicals and drug and alcohol testing help organisations in safety-critical industries manage risk and stay compliant.

How Flex Health Can Help

Flex Health provides a full range of occupational health services for businesses across Yorkshire, the Humber and the wider UK. We see clients at our clinics in Hull, Sheffield, Beverley and Willerby, at their workplace and by video consultation, and our mobile units carry out health surveillance on site.

Management referrals are completed by our clinical team of Occupational Health Nurses, Physiotherapists and Physicians. Employers often tell us they need an occupational health team that’s incredibly responsive, so we contact employees within 24 hours, offer appointments within five working days and return reports within 48 hours of the assessment. For employees with musculoskeletal problems, we can move straight from assessment to occupational physiotherapy, helping to reduce sickness absence and support a faster return to work.

We support complex cases as well as routine referrals, and our occupational health for small businesses gives smaller employers access to expert advice without a large contract. To support employee wellbeing more widely, we also offer Know Your Numbers screening and the Flex App.

Talk to Our Occupational Health Team Today

To arrange an occupational health assessment or find out more about our health support for employers, contact us today to talk to a member of our team.