Hi Jill and list
The way I communicate with the employee's GP is that I obtain the employee's
written consent, and enclose a copy with the letter, and in cases that I feel
need the GP support, I put in the letter that I will contact them once they
have received my letter (and consent form) then there is not a problem with
confidentiality. I also for those cases where I think it makes sense to chat
with the GP say to the employee that it would be a good idea that I
speak with
their GP once they have the consent through the post. More often than not the
employee is seeing their GP and asks have they received the letter etc.
Interesting to know what others do, and what is considered best practice?
On the whole I have found GP's to be very helpful and supportive of OH
assisting
them in trying to get their employee back to work etc.
Kind regards
Clare Haddow
Clare Haddow Occupational Health Specialists
Quoting "SURGERY, GBR-Sutton" <[log in to unmask]>:
> Thank you for your many replies. Our Occupational Physician did indeed
> write to the GP of the man concerned explaining the work situation etc,
> however the GP wrote back saying that he thought it was advisable for him to
> stay off work until he had seen the consultant. I note that some of you have
> mentioned speaking directly to the GP and I wondered how that went down with
> them as I would have thought that there was an issue with confidentiality
> here.
>
> Jill Rossiter
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hawkes, Lynda [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 13 June 2005 08:38
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: sickness absence issue
>
>
> Our OHP writes to the GP to inform him/her what the work situation is and
> what he is recommending in the way of rehab programmes and then we advise HR
> of the recommendations for return to work. So far we have not had any
> refusals. We did have an employee who was not happy with our recommendation
> and he went back to his GP, but the GP said that if the OHP said he was fit
> to return then he should return (the employee even told us this!)
> If the employee did still refuse to return then I would advise HR that it
> has become a disciplinary case.
>
> Lynda
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ingham, Jane [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, June 10, 2005 10:13 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: sickness absence issue
>
>
> I have been following this discussion thread with interest, which I
> initially thought was theoretical. However, I now have a case which makes
> my interest more practical.
>
> How has this worked for you in practice? Have any of you got any stock
> phrases that you use in reports where you are in effect overruling a GP?
> Does your report just give advice to HR that you believe that the employee
> should be returning to work and then they issue the order to him/her to
> return? Or do you get more directly involved? All advice gratefully
> received.
>
> Jane Ingham
> OH Advisor, HMPS
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Swann, Alan B [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, June 03, 2005 1:17 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: sickness absence issue
>
>
> Peter is correct. However, we have to live with each other. I think before
> handing the problem over to HR/management it would be worth contacting the
> GP to discuss the situation. What are the GP's concerns for his patient and
> can he be re-assured about them. Does he have a realistic view of the
> demands of the job (his patient may have given him a somewhat skewed view)
> This could be an opportunity to build up a positive working relationship
> with a local GP who has perhaps many of Jill's employees on his/her list.
> If the GP is defensive of his original position, it might not work. But no
> harm to anyone in trying
>
> 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 9401
> Fax: +44 (20) 7594 9407
> https://www.imperial.ac.uk/spectrum/occhealth
> ***The College OH Service is moving. From July 2005 we will be based on
> Level 4 of the Sherfield Building****
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter Judge [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 03 June 2005 10:09 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: sickness absence issue
>
> Jill
>
> Unless your company or their insurers have a specific policy that says only
> a
> GP can sign a person fit to return to the workplace then I would by pass the
> GP
> and inform Human Resources and management that the person is fit to return
> to
> the workplace with whatever recommendations your OHP has suggested. This
> then
> becomes a management/HR issue.
>
> If the policy does say only a GP can return them then ask your OHP to
> discuss
> the situation with the GP and point out how ludicrous it is for a person who
> is
> obviously fit to RTW to be sat on their bums awaiting a "consultant" to
> declare
> them fit. In any case if your OHP is suitably qualified then they are acting
> in
> loco of the consultant. Alternatively get the OHP to contact the consultant
> direct and set out the position and ask the question.
>
> Either way the responsibility for their health and well-being in the
> workplace
> is OH's not the GP's or the consultant's and unless they have assessed the
> workplace and the risk then they have no valid reason to not agree a return
> to
> the workplace, unless of course the person concerned has specified they do
> not
> wish to return for whatever reason. Again, another issue for HR/management.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Pete Judge
> Cardiff Uni.
>
>
>
>
>>>> [log in to unmask] 06/03/05 8:42 am >>>
> Dear Members
>
> We currently have an employee who has been off sick (post op) for the past
> 6 months. He has seen our Occupational Physician for a routine review and
> basically he was assessed to be fit for his normal duties. However his GP
> is not willing to allow him back to work until he has been reviewed by his
> Consultant which is not until August. We have had similar problems in the
> past where GPs will not allow return until seen by the Consultant, however
> it could be a matter of months (as in this case) until they can be seen and
> given the OK to return to work. I am wondering who is supposed to have
> authority here? In these sorts of cases waiting to see Consultants for the
> green light to return to work can be as mentioned a matter of several months
> and during this time I would say a hell of a lot of Statutory sick pay is
> paid out unnecessaily and this must be a tremendous cost to the government!
>
> What are your views?
>
> Jill Rossiter
>
>
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