Ethics Guidance for Occupational Health Practice 9th Edition - Book - Page 25
2.27. The occupational health professional should remain alert to any signs of
emotional distress that develops during the consultation, and which might
require the presence of a third party to be reconsidered. It is also prudent to
formally clarify the role of the trade union representative at the start of the
consultation / meeting. - this should be to provide personal and welfare support
to their colleague. Representatives can be helpful in clarifying points and in
reinforcing any guidance given by an occupational health professional.
Representatives should not act as a third-party advocate seeking to influence
the outcome of the assessment. The worker should be advised that it is an
occupational health consultation before proceeding.
Relationships with employers’ representatives
2.28. Occupational health services may be commissioned and funded through a
variety of arrangements. However, any commercial relationship has the
potential to influence or be perceived to influence professional impartiality.
Employers and their representatives may not always recognise the requirement
for OH professionals to maintain independence in their clinical and advisory
roles. Impartiality is not only an ethical obligation; it is a practical necessity for
sustaining the trust of employers, workers, and wider stakeholders.
2.29. Occupational health professionals have a responsibility to highlight these
principles clearly and to demonstrate, through consistent behaviour, that
impartiality is actively upheld. Familiar areas of challenge include the
confidentiality and management of occupational health records
and attempts by any party to influence the conclusions of an assessment. This
is especially significant where an OH report may have financial or organisational
implications—for example, where recommendations may lead to costs for the
employer or entitlements for the worker.
2.30. In all such circumstances, occupational health professionals must resist
inappropriate
pressure
from
any
side
and
ensure
their
advice remains independent, evidence-based, and ethically sound.
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