Benefits of outsourced occupational health care

An On Site Occupational Healthcare product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Oct 12, 2005

This article from On Site Occupational Health Care describes the advantages of outsourcing occupational health care.

The HSE's current emphasis on the management of health risks has pushed occupational health high up on the health and safety agenda.

Companies are being urged by the HSE to adopt and implement positive proactive occupational health strategies to ensure the work does not pose a risk to workers' health and that workers do not pose a risk to the health of others.

The HSE aims to bring about a cultural change whereby companies are proactively identifying the prevalence of occupational poor health and monitoring and managing the extent of poor health during a person's working life.

But setting up an in-house occupational health department can be a costly exercise, fraught with difficulties.

Occupational nurses and physicians are a much sought-after resource: they do not come cheap and they need to be managed and evaluated by someone with a very good understanding of occupational health and legislation.

For these reasons, many small and large companies in all industries choose to outsource their occupational health to a specialist provider.

The advantages are obvious.

The provider will usually have an up-to-date and comprehensive understanding of occupational health and the requirements of legislation.

They are operated and managed by health care professionals.

They can take on the full responsibility for checking employees' health before they join and can provide health surveillance through the employment and they will maintain all medical records.

And using an external provider is usually a much more cost-effective option than running an internal occupational health department.

A popular choice for companies is the specialist 'mobile' provider who will come on to any site or location, thereby ensuring that the screening or surveillance is carried out with minimum disruption to the working day.

One such company, On Site Occupational Health Care, specialises in providing baseline health screening and health surveillance from purpose-built mobile units that are fully equipped with the latest screening technology.

Qualified occupational nurses can carry out a range of tests and immunisations specified by the company and relevant to the health risks faced by each of the employees at any particular site.

An occupational physician reviews all results.

The range of services offered by On Site Occupational Health Care is comprehensive ranging from pre-employment health assessment questionnaires to baseline pre-employment health screening, health surveillance, sickness absence management and rehabilitation.

Tests include audiometry, spirometry, vision screening, blood pressure, musculoskeletal disorders assessments, skin analysis and hand arm vibration syndrome assessments.

The company can also carry out statutory medicals such as those for fork lift truck drivers and HGV drivers.

If a work-related health issue does arise, On Site Occupational Health Care can advise on any modifications that may be necessary to enable the employee to return to work.

Costs depend on the number of tests being carried out and the numbers of employees involved, but typically a questionnaire assessment and review is around £20 per person and a basic health surveillance would cost around £45 per person.

Further information about On Site Occupational Health Care can be found on the company's website.