Employers have a duty of care to their employees to ensure that they, and their workplaces, are safe and healthy in line with health and safety obligations and equality law. 

Work health assessments have an important role in helping employers identify and consider early on, any health condition or disability that may require:

  • Adjustments being made to the workplace to enable the individual to safely carry out the duties they have been engaged to carry out.
  • Restrictions being placed on their duties, for example, exposure prone procedures (EPPs) for workers who have a blood borne virus which may impact on patients in their care.

A work health assessment will be conducted as part of the recruitment process when:

  • An individual first takes up their position
  • An existing member of staff moves to a new position where the new role significantly changes the nature of the work they will be undertaking and their working environment

Successful candidates (internal and external) will be sent a health assessment form (in line with the requirements of their role). Depending on the role they may also be required to provide evidence of immunisations.

If the candidate requires an appointment, they will be contacted directly by the Occupational Health Team.

Where reasonable adjustments are recommended, the Recruiting Manager must ensure these have been fully considered and implemented where possible. Under the Equality Act 2010 the Trust will consider all adjustments (as far as is reasonably practical) to ensure that applicants who have a disability, are not unfairly disadvantaged or discriminated against when being considered for a role.

The outcome of the Work Health Assessment will be retained on the person’s file.