While an informal chat might seem like a quick way to get advice, bypassing structured referral pathways introduces significant risks for employers, employees and clinicians alike.
When completing an Occupational Health Referral with us, we follow a formal process to meet UK regulatory and professional standards.
Data Protection & GDPR Compliance
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) classifies employee medical details as special category data. This data requires the highest level of legal protection. ICO Guidance states that employers must handle health data transparently, collecting only what is necessary for the specific purpose. Informal conversations can lead to the verbal disclosure of sensitive or non-consensual medical information, compromising compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
A formal, written referral ensures that:
- Only relevant data is documented.
- Employee consent to the referral is captured.
- Information is stored securely, minimising the risk of unauthorised data handling.
Adhering to ACAS Best Practice
Acas (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) emphasises that transparency and consistency are vital when managing health issues in the workplace.
ACAS occupational health guidelines indicate organisations should maintain a clearly defined OH policy that outlines exactly when and how referrals are carried out, and note that if workplace adjustments or capability decisions are later influenced by health information shared during an informal conversation, the lack of an audit trail can leave employers vulnerable.
A formal referral process aligns with ACAS recommendations by ensuring it is fair, structured and transparent for the employee.
Clinical Governance & FOM Standards
As an Occupational Health provider, our practice aligns with standards set by the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM). They require an OH service to use documented protocols to ensure evidence-based, safe and ethical care and taking unrecorded verbal accounts before a case is triaged could compromise clinical objectivity and independence.
When using a formal pathway, our clinicians review the referral form before conducting an assessment and completing a structured case history. This supports professionally aligned decision-making.
Protecting Legal Integrity
Should an employment dispute escalate to an Employment Tribunal, the documentation surrounding health assessments is subject to scrutiny. Information shared informally outside the referral should be documented. This process may lead to the OH information provided to the business being deemed unreliable or inadmissible in legal proceedings.
A formal referral pathway creates a robust, legally defensible audit trail, protecting all parties by proving exactly what information was provided, when it was given and how it was handled.
Our process is:
All initial case details must be submitted via our secure, formal online referral form.
Our clinical team reviews the referral form during triage. If we require further clarification to conduct an assessment, we will reach out transparently via email.
To safeguard our service users, we do not engage in informal verbal discussions about individual cases.
