Mental Health and Wellbeing Information

Occupational Health

International SOS are the Occupational Health providers for The Highland Council.

Referral process

All Occupational Health appointments will be undertaken by phone for the forseeable future. referrals should be made in the usual manner. Please contact ABZ.HighlandCouncil@internationalsos.com if you have any questions about the service.

Alternative arrangements have been put in place for drivers requirind D4 medicals. Appointments can be requested via the email address.

The health surveillance programme should also continue.

If Managers have any questions regarding completion of the referral form, please email   ABZ.HighlandCouncil@internationalsos.com

• Occupational Health Referral Form
  - Tips on completion of referral form
• Example of a completed referral form
• Physiotherapy Leaflet

*Please include the employee's personal mobile number on the referral form where possible. Appointment letters are sent to home addresses, but reminders are sent by text the day prior to appointment. 

• Guidance for Managers

• Information for Employees

• Absence Management Policy and Guidance
• Night Worker Questionnaire
• Referral Process
• Appointment Process
• Privacy Notice

Ill Health Retirement

New guidance and a process map has been developed which explains the process to follow when an employee (who is a member of the Local Government Pension Scheme) is being referred to Occupational Health to be assessed for ill-health retirement.  It explains the ill-health retirement criteria, the assessment process, the appeal process (Internal Dispute Resolution Process) and the benefits process.  A template letter is available and should be issued to the employee at the start of the process, along with the guidance – when discussing a referral to Occupational Health, specifically to request an assessment for ill-health retirement.

**Teachers to be considered for ill health retirement should contact Jean Mackinnon in the Workforce Planning Team in the first instance: Tel 01463 702730**

• Guidance for employees
• Ill health retirement flowchart

Key Performance Indicators - response times

• From receipt of referral form to receiving appointment date:   3 working days 
• From submission of referral form to appointment:   currently under review due to the increase in referrals since May 2017

Occupational Health Report Process

Following the appointment, International SOS compile the report which is then sent to the employee by email or post, in line with GMC requirements:

• Email – Employee has 3 working days to respond with any factual amendments
• Post – Employee has 5 working days to respond with any factual amendments

If the employee fails to respond within the above timescales, International SOS will email the report to the OH mailbox which is then issued to the manager.

Counselling Service

Spectrum.Life  will provide staff with confidential, free mental wellbeing support, fitness plans, legal assistance, financial advice, and eLearning content related to a variety of wellbeing topics. This is available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year

To access the service please log onto Spectrum.Life and use the organisational code j5n2Rh73

Health Surveillance

Policy and Guidance on health surveillance can be found here
If you have questions about health surveillance, please see this information sheet.

Health Surveillance - Questionnaires

• Skin surveillance questionnaire
• Respiratory questionnaire
• Skin & Respiratory questionnaire
• HAVS questionnaire
• Audio questionnaire