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The role of OH evidence in tribunal cases

Summary:

Occupational health reports can be invaluable to an employment tribunal in assessing evidence of fitness to work, disability and capability. OH professionals can also be called to give their expert opinion. Our expert Diana Kloss explains.

Occupational health (OH) is frequently confused with occupational therapy in the minds of the general public. This can lead to a misunderstanding of the specialty and a lack of recognition that it is a separate branch of medicine, with an established Faculty of Occupational Medicine and a post-registration specialist nursing qualification. It is therefore important for OH physicians and nurses when writing reports to make clear their specialist qualifications and that their expert knowledge of health and fitness for work, and of the influence of work on health, is superior to that of most general practitioners and clinical specialists…

 

Diana Kloss is a barrister, former part-time employment judge, Acas arbitrator and author.

Author: Kloss D

Tags case law fom - faculty of occupational medicine law oh nursing oh physicians records - reports tribunals and courts

Occupational Health at Work August/September 2020 (vol. 17/2) pp40-41

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