Ethics Guidance for Occupational Health Practice 9th Edition - Book - Page 24
2.23. The overriding principles are that occupational health professionals must:
Not operate outside of their area of competence.
Ensure the competence of anyone to whom they refer.
Ensure that once clinical responsibility is assumed, it is not relinquished until it
is handed over to an appropriate colleague.
2.24. Where clinical urgency or geographical isolation have necessitated a direct
therapeutic intervention, every effort should be made with the worker’s consent,
to keep the primary treating clinician informed. Care should be exercised by
occupational health professionals working in the healthcare sector where the
boundaries between the roles of patient, worker, colleague and expert can
become blurred and give rise to ethical conflicts. These groups should also be
aware of the boundaries of an OH professional at the outset.
Relationships with workers’ representatives
2.25. Workers’ representatives (including trades unions, works councils, etc.) can be
valuable allies when engaging with a workforce, either as a group or at an
individual level. In the UK, workers have a duty 11 to cooperate to promote
health and safety at work and there are different legislative arrangements
depending upon whether unions are recognised 12 or not 13. Occupational health
professionals should establish with the management of the organisation to
which they are providing a service how and when they are expected to engage
with workers’ representatives. It should be remembered that there is a duty of
confidentiality to the employer as well as to individual workers. Within the
constraints of confidentiality, OH professionals should be open with all parties
in explaining any advice given in relation to the health of the workforce.
Maintaining good working relationships and demonstrating impartiality can
help to overcome any concerns that may arise.
2.26. Individual
workers
sometimes
ask
to
have
a
trade
union
representative accompany them to an occupational health consultation. Many
occupational health professionals would accede to such a request. When this
occurs, it is prudent to confirm and document that the worker consents to the
presence of a third party for the whole or for part of the consultation. (For
example, only including the representative at the opening and closure / report
generation stages).
Page | 23
