Medical Occupational Health Services

An occupational health assessment is a clinical evaluation of how an employee’s health interacts with the demands of their job. It looks at what the employee can currently do, what would help them do it safely and sustainably, and what an employer needs to know in order to make a fair and informed decision. It is advice, not a verdict — the employer still decides what happens next.

Assessments are used across a wide range of situations: before someone starts a role, when absence has become prolonged or repeated, when a return to work is being planned, when a safety-critical role requires periodic fitness checks, or when ill-health retirement is being considered. The clinical focus and the questions asked differ by situation, which is why a single generic assessment format does not serve every case well. For a plain-English explanation of the main types and how to choose between them, see our guide for employers.

What happens during an assessment

Assessments are carried out by our occupational health physicians (OHPs) or occupational health advisers (OHAs), remotely by Teams or telephone, or in person on your site or at our London clinic. The clinician takes an occupational and clinical history, discusses the specific demands of the role, and assesses the functional effect of any condition on the employee’s ability to do the job, rather than focusing on diagnosis alone.

The employee is told in advance what will be covered and how the outcome will be reported. A written report follows, addressed to the questions the referring manager asked, in language a manager can act on without needing to interpret clinical terminology. Where the assessment concerns a formal referral rather than pre-employment screening, our guide to occupational health referrals covers what to expect in more detail, including how long the process typically takes and what an employee’s rights are.

Assessments for safety-critical and licensed roles

Where a role carries a higher risk if health suddenly changes — driving, operating machinery, working at height — the assessment includes checks specific to that risk, such as vision, cardiovascular health and neurological screening. See our safety critical medicals and DVLA and D4 driver medicals pages for what those assessments cover specifically.

Ongoing exposure-based assessment

Where employees are exposed to noise, vibration, dust or other regulated hazards, assessment becomes a repeated statutory obligation rather than a one-off check. See health surveillance for what that involves and how often it is required.