Dilemma: Withdrawn consent

An employee gives consent for a fitness-for-work assessment, but withdraws it before you send the report

Summary:

If an employee, who has consented to a fitness-for-work medical, subsequently withdraws consent to send a report to the employer, should the OH professional still inform the employer of the conclusions, so long as no clinical details are given? Dr Jacques SinFat Tamin and David Coggon debate this issue.

DR JACQUES TAMIN: Statements on fitness for work rarely constitute personal sensitive information and the report should be issued, argues …

PROF DAVID COGGON

Going against the wishes of an employee may not only breach their right to confidentiality, but may also damage the healthcare relationship and the reputation of OH professionals …

Dr Jacques SinFat Tamin is an occupational physician and medical director of Company Health Ltd.

David Coggon is professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, University of Southampton.

Author: Tamin J, Coggon D

Tags confidentiality consent dilemma ethics fitness for work

Occupational Health at Work October/November 2009 (vol. 06/3) pp28-29

Download full article