How to make a good occupational health referral

Why are occupational health referrals important? 

Occupational health referrals are often the gateway to expert support for employees, managers and organisations. But many managers and HR professionals have never been taught how to make a high-quality referral.

Unlike clinical settings, where referral-writing is a core professional skill, workplace referrals are often learned through trial and error. The result can be vague referrals, delayed support and frustration for everyone involved.

A good occupational health referral helps OH understand the workplace context, answer the right questions and provide more useful advice.

Common issues with occupational health referrals include:

• referrals with little workplace context or no clear question

• asking OH to “prove” whether someone is genuinely ill

• using referrals as part of a disciplinary process

• providing insufficient detail about the role and its demands

• requesting confidential clinical details that are not necessary

• referring too late, after problems have already escalated

So... what makes a good referral? 

Before you begin writing the referral, remember your agenda as a manager/ HR professional. It will relate to supporting an individual to excel at work. This angle will be core to your referral. 

Then, think through your clear reason for referral:

• Why are you seeking OH support for this individual at this point? What specifically needs addressing? 

• For example, have you been concerned about sickness absence, return to work, or change in behaviour at work?

• This will involve some work and health factors, understanding how someone’s health impacts their workplace function. But it will not involve asking for health information that the individual may wish to keep confidential. 

Focus on function, not diagnosis 

Managers often assume they need detailed medical information to support an employee effectively. In most cases, they do not.

Occupational health is usually most helpful when focusing on workplace function:

• What aspects of the role can the employee currently manage?

• Which tasks are difficult?

• What workplace adjustments may help?

• Are there safety considerations?

Specific diagnoses are often less relevant than understanding how health affects day-to-day work, and employees often prefer not to share confidential health details with their workplace team. Occupational health helps employers get the information they need while protecting employee confidentiality. 

Give workplace context on the referral 

Generic job descriptions are rarely enough. Occupational health assessments are more useful when referrals explain what the role actually involves day to day.

Consider both physical and cognitive demands. Examples may include:

• manual handling

• driving

• decision-making responsibilities

• lone working

• periods of uninterrupted concentration

• safety-critical tasks

It is also helpful to include workplace context such as understaffing, organisational change, interpersonal conflict or workload pressures.

Where stress is a concern, the Health and Safety Executive Management Standards can help identify relevant workplace risk factors.

Employees must consent to an occupational health referral before the referral is made. In most cases, referral information is shared with the employee.

Employees should understand:

• why the referral is being made

• what questions are being asked

• how the information will be used

Occupational health referrals work best when they form part of an open and supportive conversation.

Ask specific questions

• You may have a specific query in mind that occupational health support can help you address. Include these explicitly 

• For example, is the individual  likely to be covered by the Equality Act 2010? Are they fit for night work? Is it suitable to consider redeployment or ill health retirement at this point?

Make your referral timely!

• Good referrals are proactive rather than reactive 

• Aim for early support and use occupational health to help you plan ahead to avoid longer term sickness absence 

Before sending an OH referral, the following checklist can be useful to run through:

• Have I explained why I’m referring?

• Have I described the job demands?

• Have I asked specific questions?

• Is the referral geared toward understanding workplace function rather than sharing confidential health information?

• Is the language objective?

• Does the employee understand the purpose?

Good occupational health referrals are not about getting access to employee medical details. They are about understanding workplace function, identifying barriers to work and seeking expert support early.

Clear, objective and timely referrals help occupational health professionals provide more practical advice, ultimately supporting both employee wellbeing and organisational performance.

Want to improve the quality of your occupational health referrals?

Occupational health referrals can be challenging, even for experienced managers and HR professionals. To help, we're running a short interactive workshop designed to build confidence, improve understanding, and provide practical guidance on making effective referrals.

Through real-world examples and discussion, we'll explore common challenges and share best practice approaches that can be applied in the workplace. Interested in attending? Complete the form below to register your interest for our occupational health referral workshop.