I have been knocking around the OH field since 1979 with, until recently, fairly regular domiciliary visits. Touch wood, I have never had any problems once I arrived at the house but I have turned back twice when an ”on the hoof” risk assessment determined that I was entering a particularly troublesome area/estate.  One of those turn backs was particularly fortuitous as I would have intruded on the funeral of a close family member of the gentleman I was going to see!

There was another occasion when the employee, off work with depression was listing his medications.  It was quite clear that his condition was rather more severe than depression and I made a quick but courteous exit. Fortunately he was perfectly behaved throughout.

Gill

I concur with that – I was once asked to undertake a domiciliary visit in order to assist a young lady who lived with her mother and sister and I was told had cancer, was terminally ill and was requesting to retire on the grounds of ill-health. My usual stance was that domiciliary visits are inappropriate in part as this is encroaching on an employees private space coupled with  the time involved and the H&S issues. However, I was persuaded to do this one as I was told by her manager that she was too ill to attend the department. I gained the permission of the employee. When I did the visit I discovered that she was not terminally ill – the whole family were very strange and the employee had been recently discharged from a secure psychiatric unit. She too was schizophrenic. I kept myself between the employee and the door then got away as soon as I could.

Anne


On 15/09/2011 15:13, "Amanda Savage" <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]> wrote:

I had a colleague in a previous job who was stabbed by a Director of Finance on a home visit, later he was diagnosed schizophrenic.
You can never tell.
 

Amanda Savage BSc (Hons) RGN, NEBOSH
Occupational Health Adviser
PTH Group
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01527 577242
 

Amanda Savage
 
PTH GROUP LIMITED
 
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From: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Caspi, Deborah
Sent: 15 September 2011 14:39
To: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [OCC-HEALTH] Domiciliary vists

Hi Sara
 
We  refrain from doing these as they are not time-effective and require 2 people from a risk POV.  As you correctly point out, a phone consult or specialist report are more effective means of getting the information required, and if an employee is not fit to travel to OH they are generally not fit to travel to work , nor to work from home in most cases.
 
Hope that helps
 
Deborah
 

From: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of SARA ADDISON
Sent: 15 September 2011 14:01
To: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Subject: [OCC-HEALTH] Domiciliary vists

Could I ask for your views on these, what benefit to the employee or employer do you feel these have or don't have. If an employee is medically incapable of attending an appointment at the OH department, surely the Specialists report confirming the diagnosis or a telephone assessment would suffice.
 
Look forward to hearing opinions on this
 
Sara Hext
Occupational Health Support Manager
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