Occupational Health (OPAS-G2)

Q: Is Empactis Absence Manager changing? 

A: No, the change to OPAS G2 only affects Empactis Health Manager. Absence Manager will continue to be used for reporting and managing absences.

Q: Can Empactis Health Manager still be used?

A: No, Occupational Health & Wellbeing referrals will not be accepted through Health Manager from 19 April 2024.  Please re-submit the referral when OPAS G2 goes live on 25 April 2024.

Q: How do colleagues log in to the system?

A: Colleagues will only need to login to OPAS to submit self-referrals to Occupational Health & Wellbeing and / or to access immunisations completed within OPAS.  Colleagues will be able to login via a URL on the Your Wellbeing, Occupational Health & Wellbeing Services pages on Your Space; https://yourspace.merseycare.nhs.uk/your-wellbeing/occupational-health-and-wellbeing.

Q: How do managers log in?

A: There will be a desktop icon ‘G2 Occupational Health’.  The first time you log in, enter your user name (which is your Mersey Care email address), click on “forgot your password?” and follow the information that appears. This is only required for the first time you use the system; going forward, you click on the icon and put your password in.

Q: How is OPAS G2 accessed?

A: OPAS is an online / cloud-based Occupational Health system, so access to a device that supports this is required to access the system via a URL or the icon on a Mersey Care device. Managers and colleagues will be able to access OPAS through any mobile, tablet, laptop or PC via email links sent from the system.  You do not need a Mersey Care device to access OPAS or notification emails.  Please ensure that data protection/information governance rules are followed when accessing the system.

Q: Is OPAS linked to ESR?

A: Whilst OPAS will receive its colleague information from ESR, OPAS is not defined by the ESR managerial hierarchy, meaning all managers can create referrals if they have a manager role in ESR.

Q: How are appointment notifications sent?

A: OPAS G2 uses the email address and mobile numbers entered on the management referral, or self-referral form, to notify colleagues of appointments and any actions required during the referral process.  This email can be either a Mersey Care email or an alternative personal email address. Text message reminders use the mobile number provided.

Q: How are Occupational Health & Wellbeing reports sent to colleagues?

A: Colleagues receive email notification that their Occupational Health and Wellbeing outcome report is available to view.  The outcome report is accessed using a one-time code attached to the notification email.

Q: How are Occupational Health & Wellbeing reports sent to managers?

A: Managers will get a notification email that a report is ready to see.  They should log into their OPAS account and view the report through their manager dashboard.

Q: Are managers kept informed of progress of referrals, pre-placement assessments and other appointment?

A: No – managers will receive some email notifications as prompts but they should access their manager dashboards to see ‘live time’ progress on any cases.

Q: Not all staff members have access to a smart phone or computer, if they are off long-term sick will they be able to see the report?

A: OPAS is an online / cloud-based occupational health system, so access to a device that supports this is required.  However, colleagues will be able to access OPAS through any mobile, tablet, laptop or PC.  They do not require a Mersey Care email / device to access the emails.

Prior to submitting an occupational health referral for colleagues, managers should clarify device accessibility with their colleague and put in any practical solutions to overcome this locally (where appropriate) prior to contacting Occupational Health and Wellbeing for additional support with such situations.

Q: Can the referral form be edited or updated?

A: Once Occupational Health receive and accept a management referral form it cannot be edited. However, until this occurs the management referral form can be edited by managers.

Q: How do colleagues self-refer via OPAS G2?

A: There will be a URL available on the Your Space Occupational Health and Wellbeing section.  Colleagues click on this link and complete the self-referral form.  Once completed this is automatically sent to Occupational Health & Wellbeing for triaging.

Q: Absence in my team is managed by more than one manager. Can each of those individuals access each colleagues’ referral and reports?

A: Yes - but only if these colleagues are added as an ‘Additional Contributor’ on the referral.  Please ensure all ‘Additional Contributors’ are discussed with colleagues prior to including them on the referral.

Q: What happens if the line manager is off sick, on annual leave or away from the workplace for a long period of time?

A: Other identified team leaders/managers can be added as an ‘Additional Contributor’ by the referrer on the referral form.  Please ensure all ‘Additional Contributors’ are discussed with colleagues prior to including them on the referral.

Q: Are there timescales for when managers will receive the outcome reports?

A: Occupational Health reports should be available on the same day or within 48 hours of the appointment if a colleague consents to simultaneous release of an Occupational Health and Wellbeing outcome report.  Managers are prompted via email to access their OPAS dashboards to view the report.

However, if a colleague requests prior sight of a report they have 2 days in which to view this.  This will delay report release, which the referring manager is notified of via email.  If a colleague does not give consent for release, the report does not get released and the referring manager is also advised of this via email. 

Managers can follow the ‘live time’ progress of a referral on their dashboards.

Q: If I put a referral through and then I went off sick, is there a way of my manager being able to get onto the system?

A: All managers have access to a Manager Dashboard in OPAS. However, managers will not be able to view other managers’ referrals for colleagues unless they have been added as an ‘Additional Contributor’ by the referrer creator on the original referral.  Please ensure all ‘Additional Contributors’ are discussed with colleagues prior to including them on the referral.

Q: I am worried that there will be a delay in appointments and receiving reports if staff do not log on to approve referrals and reports.

A: Colleagues do not login to OPAS. The pre-consent process it to allow colleagues to check the accuracy of a referral and is not asking their permission to make the referral.  This process is completed via email and done prior to the Occupational Health & Wellbeing servicing receiving the referral.  It is important managers are transparent with colleagues at the very start of a referral discussion prior to making a referral.

Referring managers should communicate this with their colleagues prior to completing a referral in OPAS, whilst also ensuring the contact details provided for the colleague are accurate; email address and mobile number to be used, as these will be used automatically by OPAS to send out appointment notifications via email and SMS.

An information leaflet outlining the referral process, including the role of ‘Additional Contributors’ and prior sight of reports, is attached to the pre-consent

Q: Does the report link take the manager directly to the report or the dashboard?

A: Referring managers receive email notification that the occupational health outcome report is available to view on the manager dashboard. Once logged in these reports are available in the ‘Recently Finished’ Management Referral Dashboard section.

Q: If a manager is on long term absence or snowed under, is there a way that someone else that can do the referral? 

A: All managers have access to a Manager Dashboard in OPAS and can create referrals.  OPAS is not defined by the managerial hierarchy in ESR.  However, managers will not be able to view other managers’ referrals for colleagues unless they have been added as an ‘Additional Contributor’ by the referrer creator on the original referral.  Please ensure all ‘Additional Contributors’ are discussed with colleagues prior to including them on the referral.

Q: Are HR included in receiving the Occupational Health & Wellbeing outcome report?

A: Yes, if they have been added as an ‘Additional Contributor’ by the referrer creator on the original referral.  Please ensure all ‘Additional Contributors’ are discussed with colleagues prior to including them on the referral.

Q: Pre-consent – what is this and how does it work?

A: OPAS uses a pre-consent and accuracy process for management referrals.  This means that the referral the manager creates is emailed to the colleague prior to this being submitted to Occupational Health & Wellbeing.  The email address used for this is the email address the manager has entered on the referral form.  Once the colleague agrees that the information on the referral is accurate, the colleague clicks on the ‘consent’ tab on the screen and the referral will then be sent to the Occupational Health & Wellbeing Service.  Until the colleague agrees that the referral is accurate, the referral will remain in the manager’s ‘Pre-Consent’ section on their manager dashboard.

Q: What email and contact details should I put when referring colleagues?

A: Managers should confirm the correct contact details for the colleague during the pre-referral discussion with the colleague; it is important managers are transparent with colleagues at the very start of a referral discussion with their colleague regarding a referral to Occupational Health & Wellbeing.

Accurate contact details are important; email address and mobile number, as these will be used automatically by OPAS to send out appointment notifications via email and SMS.

Q: What can I see on my dashboard?

A: Managers will be able to see ‘live time’ progress for every referral on their dashboard to include:

• Referrals recently finished
• Referrals which have been submitted and are awaiting OH triage
• Referrals in progress
• Referrals awaiting prior sight consent
• Referrals awaiting pre-consent
• Referrals where colleagues have contested the accuracy of the referral and needs further action from the manager
• Referrals which have been reviewed by the manager and archived
• Managers will also be able to see breakdown analyses of the referrals they create.

Managers should refer to their dashboards for the progress of referrals rather than contacting the Occupational Health and Wellbeing. 

Q: How do I hand over a team to another manager, what do I need to do? Will I see the team’s previous referrals and records?

A: A manager dashboard is specific to that manager.  It cannot be transferred to another manager. In preparation for any future changes in line management, managers can add a new manager as an ‘Additional Contributor’ to the referral. 

For any previous referrals were adding an ‘Additional Contributor’ could not have occurred, managers should download any information required from their dashboard to help future management of a colleagues’ absence / support colleagues health and wellbeing.