Employees should be aware that only themselves and their doctors and other authorized health professionals have the right to access and review their private medical reports. It is crucial for your treating doctor to obtain medical reports about your health problems and the prescribed treatment in order to provide the necessary medical care and make appropriate decisions regarding your fitness to do your job safely and without endangering your health or the safety of others. Your line manager or direct boss should not ask you to provide them with your confidential medical reports or information in any form verbally or hard copies or electronically (email), instead they should guide you to take all confidential medical reports to the medical professionals |
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who would review them and advise you accordingly.With advice from your doctor regarding what health information to be communicated and what to be withheld you should be able to notify your direct supervisor without disclosing much of your medical details.One of the most difficult aspects of Occupational Health practice arises when OH doctors and nurses are asked by managers or HR to reveal information about an employees’ health, usually when they are concerned about that employees, absence record or ability to do the job. OH professionals must respect the confidentiality codes of practice and should not break it unless a legal duty overrides the duty of confidentiality or it is necessary to protect others,
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for instance if there are health and safety implications the OH professional would have a duty to disclose whether the lives or the health of the individual or others were being put at risk.
Remember
- Communicate to your direct supervisor/line on your health problem or medications that may affect your performance and ability to carry out your job safely. However, do not give the details of your medical condition.
- On the other hands, never hide medical information to the PDO or contractor medical teams. This is important to ensure you will be provided appropriate care including in the cases of emergency.
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