What information do we collect from you?
The major role of the service is to provide independent advice to managers and employees on:
- The health of people at work
- The quality of the working environment
- Health risks of the workplace
- The occupational implications of risks to health that can occur at work and the ability of employees, through reasons of their health, to undertake the work
We collect information relevant to these purposes. This may include:
- Basic details such as name, address, employer, date of birth, national insurance number, phone number, and email address – where you have provided it to enable us to communicate with you by email or phone
- Information about your physical or mental health and any treatment, care or support you need and receive
- Results of any tests and diagnosis
- Information about advice given or reports for your employers
- Feedback information you provide
Why do we collect this information about you?
Your information is used to guide and record the advice you and your employer may receive and is vital in helping us to:
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• have all the information necessary for assessing your needs and for making decisions or recommendations
• advise and support you in accordance with your requirements and the consents you have given us
• assess the quality of advice we provide
• properly investigate if you have a concern or a complaint about the service
Royal United Occupational Health is committed to maintaining the privacy, dignity and confidentiality of service users at all times. We adhere to the principles of data protection legislation, the NHS, General Medical Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council and other relevant Codes of Confidentiality.
The service is medically confidential. The medical records are securely stored in line with data protection legislation and only accessible to RUH OHS staff. All RUH OHS staff adhere to a strict code of ethics in relation to the confidentiality of all consultations, telephone contact and the maintenance of medical records.
Any information obtained by the occupational practitioner is strictly confidential to OH. No information is divulged to any third party, including the person's general practitioner (GP) without the person's informed consent.
Usually, any recommendations and advice on placement or return to work are based on the functional effects of the medical condition and its prognosis. Generally there is no requirement for the manager to know the diagnosis or receive clinical details. Reports to management concerning an individual's fitness for work will always be discussed and agreed with the individual concerned prior to sending the report.
This advice should be treated by the recipient as special category personal data in respect of data protection legislation and can be shared by the recipient only, with the individual's consent, with others who have a legitimate need to know (eg. because they will be responsible for implementing adjustments in the workplace).