Not sure I agree 'his doctor knows him best'. Chances are both you & your OP have spent more time with him carrying out a functional assessment as well as a clinical examination. And you certainly should have a far more accurate view of the demands of his work than the GP. His GP may well be issuing sick notes with misgivings, but feeling he has no alternative because his patient insists his pain experience at work is intolerable.
It will be worth contacting the GP to ask if there is any underlying medical condition you need be aware of in assessing him and, if so, the GPs management plan for this. At the same time you can appraise the GP of your assessment of both job demands and employee. You might usefully add some info on the deleterious effect of prolonged absence on successful rehabilitation back into work and (perhaps) the hint that if this guy doesn't get back into work his job may be in jeopardy.
If the GP cannot provide a substantive argument then this is no longer primarily an OH matter. It should be passed to HR for them to decide (who to trust?: GP, employee or OccHealth)and act on.
Dr. Alan Swann, BM, AFOM
Director of Occupational Health
Occupational Health Service
Imperial College London
Southside building
South Kensington Campus
London
SW7 2AZ
Tel: +44 (20) 7594 9385
Fax: +44 (20) 7594 9407
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/spectrum/occhealth
-----Original Message-----
From: SBlair [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 29 November 2004 11:02
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Fitness to work
Have you considered writing to the GP. Informing him of the conflicting
information and informing him of any adjustments that can be made in
relation to his job if necessary. Alternatively would he consent to you
receiving a medical report from his GP. His doctor is afterall the person
who probably knows your employee best. Perhaps then you could ask him to
comment on all the guidance which is in place for Back pain rehab, etc. Sian
-----Original Message-----
From: Hawkes, Lynda [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 29 November 2004 10:28
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Fitness to work
Please can anyone help with the following:
We have an employee currently off on long-term sick absence with ?sciatica.
His GP is happy to provide sick certs ad nauseum. His Physio has told him
he is fit to return to work. He agreed to be seen by our OH Physician who
examined him and declared him fit to work. The employee is insisting that
he is not fit and I believe his GP will continue to issue sick certs as he
wishes.
Can we insist that he return to work as declared by our OH Physician or can
he refuse if his GP provides a further cert?
Has anyone had a similar experience or does anyone have knowledge of any
regs etc that I can quote please??? Can any of you Doctors out there help
please?
Many thanks
Lynda
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