Workplace guide
What to Expect from an OH Referral
An occupational health assessment can feel daunting if you've never had one. Here's what typically happens, what to expect from the process, and how to prepare.
Published 12 April 2026
In short
- You don't need a diagnosis to be referred
- You control what you share in the appointment
- You can usually see the report before it's sent
- OH advice is advisory, not binding
5 steps
The OH Assessment Process
Step 1 of 5
Referral
Your employer, usually via your manager or HR, submits a request explaining why an assessment is needed.
Some workplaces also allow self-referral. You don't need a diagnosis: the referral describes how your situation affects your work.
Step 2 of 5
Appointment
You'll meet with an OH practitioner, usually a nurse or doctor, for 30–60 minutes. This can be face-to-face, by phone, or video call.
Step 3 of 5
Discussion
The practitioner will ask about your health, treatment, and how it affects your work.
You control what you share: they cannot force disclosure beyond what's relevant to work.
Step 4 of 5
Report
A report goes to your employer with recommendations for adjustments. It focuses on what you can do, not your diagnosis.
You can usually see the report before it's sent.
Step 5 of 5
Follow-up
Your employer decides how to act on the recommendations. OH advice is advisory, not binding, though most employers take it seriously.
A review may be scheduled to check how any adjustments are working.
Myths and facts
Common Myths About OH
Myth
You need a diagnosis to access OH
Fact
You don't. A referral can be made based on functional impact alone.
Note that this depends on your employer having an OH service, and not all employers do.
If yours doesn't, ask HR or your GP about alternatives.
Myth
OH will tell my employer everything
Fact
OH practitioners are bound by clinical confidentiality.
The report focuses on functional capacity and recommendations, not medical details. You can usually review it before it's shared.
Myth
OH is only involved when something is going wrong
Fact
OH is involved to help people stay in work effectively.
Recommendations are designed to support both the employee and the employer.
Myth
Only your employer can refer you
Fact
Some organisations offer self-referral: check your employee handbook or HR portal.
Your GP can suggest that an OH assessment would help (for example, on a fit note), but the referral itself goes through your employer's OH arrangements.
Your choices
What to Expect During an OH Assessment
- You can decline to answer any question you feel is irrelevant to your work
- You can request a practitioner of a specific gender (where available)
- You can ask to see the report before it goes to your employer
- You can ask for specific details to be left out of the report. The practitioner will still need to give accurate advice about your work
- You can ask to bring a support person or union representative. Many services allow this
- You can request a follow-up assessment if your situation changes
Fertility treatment
Fertility-Specific Considerations
If your OH assessment relates to fertility treatment, here are some things worth knowing.
You Choose What to Share, but Context Helps
You control how much detail you give.
Read the Detail
It's worth knowing that the more context an OH practitioner has, the better they can tailor their advice to your situation.
The report focuses on how your health affects your work, not intimate medical detail, and you can usually ask to see it before it's sent.
Treatment Often Follows Phases
Fertility treatment usually involves distinct phases, though timelines can change.
Adjustments can be reviewed as your treatment progresses. They don't have to be fixed from day one.
Emotional Wellbeing Matters
OH assessments aren't just about physical capacity.
If treatment is affecting your mood, concentration, or sleep, these are valid things to raise.
They can inform what adjustments are recommended.
If Your Partner Is the One in Treatment
Treatment can affect your work even when you're not the one having procedures.
Read the Detail
Whether an OH referral is available to you depends on what your workplace offers.
Some employers allow self-referral, others refer through a manager or HR, and not every workplace has an OH service.
Ask HR or check your employee handbook to find out what's available.
Prepare your request
Prepare a Formal OH Request
OccuFertility includes an OH referral template tool to help you prepare a formal request. No medical jargon needed.
Not a medical device. This platform provides structured information and evidence-based reference material to support conversations between employees, their GPs, and their employers.
It does not constitute clinical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Clinical decision-making rests entirely with the treating clinician.
Not a medical device or SaMD. An information resource aligned with the NICE Evidence Standards Framework for digital health.
CSO safety framework completed and available on request.