What Is Occupational Health? Mental health support at work

Your employer may provide occupational health or employee assistance programmes to support staff through difficult times or ill health.

What is occupational health?
Occupational health professionals aim to find out what the impact of your work is on your health, and make sure you are fit for the work you do.  Health professionals work in occupational health roles, and are tasked with preventing work-related diseases and carrying out assessments. Worksmart from the TUC explains more about occupational health services.

Your employer can refer you to occupational health if you have a health problem - including mental-ill health - that is affecting your work or causing you to take time off sick, particularly if this is more than two or three weeks at once. Occupational health referrals are intended to see what adjustments may need to be made to support you at work

Occupational health services will make an assessment of your fitness for work.  If you disagree with this it is important to seek advice.  If you belong to a trade union, you should contact your representative.  Mind's legal advice service will also be able to provide assistance.

Employee Assistance Programmes
Your employer might offer an Employment Assistance Programme (EAP).  Usually, this is a helpline, often 24 hour, that you can call to receive support and advice.  EAPs can also often refer you to other services such as counselling or return to work support.  EAPs support both employee wellbeing and organisational performance. Find out more here. 

Health for work advice line
If you work for a small business in England your employer can call the health for work advice line for information about how to provide the best occupational health support.  This will help them to understand your circumstances and may help them to assist you in returning to or remaining at work.

If you work for a small business in Scotland your employer can visit the Healthy Working Lives website or contact them on 0800 019 211 for details about occupational health, health promotion, and health and safety advice and support.

Or if you are an employee working in Wales your employer may like to visit the Healthy Working Wales website or telephone 0800 107 0900 for more details about improving health at work and returning to work after ill health.