Occupational Health Unit

Authorisation To Obtain A Medical Report

Please read notes overleaf before completing this form

Full name:

Date of birth:

Home address:

Home telephone no:

Place of employment:

Post held:

General practitioner:

Address:

Consultant:

Address:

I ………………………………………………………………...…. (Full name, block letters) hereby consent to the Occupational Health Practitioner requesting a medical report from my own GP and/or consultant. I understand that all medical information remains strictly confidential between the practitioners concerned but that advice of a general nature may be given to those involved with my health and employment.
I wish/do not wish* to see the report before it is sent to the Occupational Health Unit.
*Delete as appropriate.
I have been informed of my rights under the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988.
Signed: ……………………………………………………………………. Date: …………………………

Please return to:Occupational Health, Gloucestershire County Council, Westgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 2TG

The access to medical reports act, 1988

Guidance notes for employees

1.  Your rights under the act

Under the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988, provisions have been made for employees, if they so wish to have access to reports compiled by their own medical practitioner in relation to employment matters.

2.  The procedure

(a)  Obtaining Access

1)  Your manager will contact you, seeking your consent to approach your GP/Consultant for a medical report.

2)  You will be asked to sign this authorisation form (overleaf) if you do consent. You have the right to deny access to your medical report.

3)  At this stage, you may also indicate that you would like to see the medical report once it has been compiled, but before it is submitted to the Occupational Health Practitioners.

4)  The Occupational Health Unit will notify the GP/Consultant if you wish to see the report. It is, however, your responsibility to make the arrangements to gain access to the report. You have 21 days in which to contact your doctor for access.

(b) The report

Having seen the report, you can ask your doctor to amend anything that you think is incorrect or misleading. This matter should be discussed with your doctor and any request confirmed in writing. The doctor does not have to change the report, but he/she must attach a statement reflecting your views if you ask him/her to do so.

(c) Submitting the Report

The report cannot be sent to your employer until such time as you have given your consent in writing.

(d)  Denying access

The doctor is not obliged to show you the report, or a part of the report if he/she judges that such disclosure would in some way cause serious harm to your own physical or mental health (or to that of others).

Similarly, if the report contains information relating to another person that specific part of the report is unlikely to be made available to you.

The doctor will inform you if access to the report is to be denied.

(e)  After the Report has been Submitted

If you did not request access in the first stages when the report was to be prepared, you may approach your G.P./consultant and ask to see any report relating to you and supplied for employment purposes in the preceding six months. The doctor may charge a fee for this.

Employee consent form/OHU/March 2016