Health surveillance is an ongoing programme of repeated health checks and questionnaires for employees exposed to workplace health risks, designed to detect early signs of work‑related ill health and help you protect staff and meet legal duties.
Health surveillance is needed where risk assessments identify ongoing exposure to hazards such as noise, vibration, respiratory sensitisers, skin irritants or certain chemicals, and where there is a reasonable likelihood that this exposure could cause ill health even when controls are in place.
Depending on your risks, a health surveillance medical can include some or all of the following: audiometry (hearing), spirometry (lung function), HAVS assessments, skin checks, vision screening, urine and blood samples, and tailored questionnaires about symptoms and exposure.
Frequency depends on the level and type of risk and the roles involved. Many programmes run annually, with shorter or longer intervals for specific hazards or where early changes have been identified; your occupational health provider will advise on appropriate intervals based on your risk assessment.
No. Health surveillance focuses on detecting work‑related ill health linked to specific workplace exposures, whereas general health screening and health promotion look at broader health topics (such as lifestyle risks) that are not necessarily caused by work.
Yes. Health surveillance can be delivered via onsite clinics and Mobile Medical Units, as well as through local clinic appointments, with scheduling around shifts to minimise travel time, downtime and disruption.
You receive clear outcome reports for each employee (for example Fit, Fit with restrictions, or Refer), plus management summaries and trend information where appropriate, helping you demonstrate compliance, plan follow‑up actions and review the effectiveness of your controls.
Yes. Health surveillance data is managed under clinical governance and data protection standards, so medical information remains confidential and securely stored, while managers receive only appropriate outcome summaries and recommendations rather than full medical records.
There are several reasons you might be referred: the most common include absence from work due to a health condition, injury or illness; frequent short‑term absences; a health issue that may be affecting your ability to do your job; or a work issue that is impacting your health and wellbeing.
A management referral is when your manager asks Occupational Health for independent, confidential advice about how your health and your job affect each other, so they can make informed decisions about support, adjustments and future absence management.
You will usually be asked to give your consent before a management referral goes ahead. You can refuse, but this may mean that your employer has to make decisions about your employment or absence without the benefit of medical advice, which can limit the options available.
At the appointment, the Occupational Health clinician will discuss the reasons for your referral, go through the referral form with you, review any information you have provided and may examine you if relevant. They will then provide advice about your fitness for work, likely duration of any sickness absence and possible adjustments or rehabilitation options.
The report normally answers the specific questions your manager asked on the referral form and may cover medical fitness to work, likely duration of sickness absence, how any disability or health condition affects your day‑to‑day work and recommendations that could support an earlier or sustained return to work. Recommendations are advisory; your manager decides what is reasonable and practical.
No. Occupational Health shares only relevant information needed to answer the referral questions, not your full medical records. The details included in the report are discussed with you at the consultation, and your records are held securely by Occupational Health in line with data protection and confidentiality rules.
As part of the recruitment process, you may be asked to complete a post offer health questionnaire after you have received a conditional job offer. The purpose is to check whether you have any health conditions or disabilities that might make the proposed job difficult or unsafe for you, other workers or third parties, and to identify any support or adjustments you might need.
No. The questionnaire is designed to support people into work safely, not to exclude them unnecessarily. It helps identify where the workplace or role may need adapting to accommodate your needs and to ensure you can perform the job safely with appropriate support or reasonable adjustments.
Your employer receives a fitness certificate confirming that you have completed the questionnaire (and any follow‑up medical if needed) plus any recommendations Occupational Health has made to support you in the role, such as adjustments or restrictions. They do not receive your full medical details.
After your employer completes the referral in the OPAS system, a secure, confidential link is sent to you by email. The link normally remains active for a set period (for example 15 days); if you do not complete it in time, the link may expire and a new referral or re‑issue may be needed.
No further action is usually needed from you once you have submitted the questionnaire. It is automatically returned to Clarity for processing; Occupational Health will review your responses and, if necessary, contact you to arrange a follow‑up assessment before issuing a fitness certificate.
Typical timelines are that Clarity issues the questionnaire within around 48 hours of the manager’s request and, once you have submitted it (and any follow‑up is complete), aims to issue the fitness certificate within around 48 hours. These timelines help keep your recruitment and start date on track.
Yes. Your questionnaire responses are handled by Occupational Health under clinical governance and data protection rules. Only relevant fitness information and recommendations are shared with your employer; your detailed health information is stored securely and not shared more widely.
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