Occupational Health: Medical Examinations
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the clinical independence and impartiality of occupational health assessments commissioned from external providers by employers, including public sector bodies, and what safeguards are in place to prevent management objectives from influencing the clinical content of those assessments.
Answered by Dame Diana Johnson
The Department does not regulate occupational health providers or oversee individual clinical assessments commissioned by employers. Occupational health providers are required to comply with relevant legal and professional requirements, including data protection law and common law duties of confidentiality. Individuals generally retain the right to withdraw consent to the processing or sharing of their personal information, although this may be subject to other legal obligations.
Occupational health services are typically commissioned directly by employers, including public sector organisations, who are responsible for the governance and quality of those services. Healthcare professionals undertaking occupational health assessments are expected to exercise independent clinical judgement and are bound by the professional standards of their regulatory bodies. Employers may draw on guidance from bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive and professional occupational health organisations when commissioning services.
The Department keeps the broader work and health system under review and works with stakeholders to promote good practice across occupational health provision.
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