I routinely use e-mail. Has the advantage that, for most staff, both manager & member of staff receive the report at the same time. And know it. Helps demonstrate the transparency necessary for gaining confidence and showing independent objectivity. Also shows just how responsive a service we provide: the report is with the manager the same day as the person is seen. I also know through use of tracking that a report has been seen and read. Occasionally useful to have documentation of this.
I usually ask the person referred if it is OK. Rare for someone to say no & usually only in the context of someone else having access to their manager's e-mail (though usually it is a secretary who has access also to written communications.)
The downside is:
1. No time for reflection. It's too easy to write & click the send button. Printing off & reading before signing a letter gives a chance to review what I say. I now set my e-mailer to defer sending reports by a few hours after I click the send button.
2. It is far easier in e-mail to erroneously send a report to the wrong person.
Regards
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
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/hq/occhealth/
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/spectrum/occhealth (Intranet)
-----Original Message-----
From: Giuliana Christmas [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 27 April 2004 13:57
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Email Reports
I've recently encountered a situation where an OHA has been emailing copies
of her reports following management referrals to managers, who then print
out the report for their personnel files. A signed hard copy has not been
sent, but one has been printed out for the casenotes.Increasingly, the
managers my team are dealing with want reports promptly and don't like
being sent bits of paper in the post leading to conflicts when the OHA
won't oblige.
Given increasing use of IT in our professional lives,what are the groups'
thoughts on this issue ?
Kind regards to all,
Giuliana
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