Work Doctor OH
Occupational Health FAQs: Your Questions Answered
What medical evidence is considered?
The OHP may consider the employee’s medical history, diagnoses, treatment received, specialist reports, prognosis, functional limitations, workplace adjustments, rehabilitation or alternative duties attempted, and any other relevant medical evidence. The precise assessment will depend upon the referral and requirements of the particular pension scheme.
What does Work Doctor Occupational Health do for ill-health retirement applications?
Our Occupational Health Physicians (OHPs) provide independent medical assessments for employees being considered for Ill-Health Retirement (IHR). Depending on the pension scheme, we may either act as the appointed Pension Scheme Medical Adviser/Independent Registered Medical Practitioner (IRMP), or provide an occupational health opinion to support an application that will ultimately be considered by a separate pension scheme medical adviser.
What can you assess if you are not the Pension Scheme Medical Adviser?
Our OHP can provide an independent opinion on the employee’s current and likely long-term fitness for their substantive role, prognosis, whether further treatment or recovery is anticipated, and their potential capacity to undertake alternative work. This can provide useful medical evidence to support an IHR application or appeal.
Does an Occupational Health opinion guarantee that ill-health retirement will be granted?
No. An occupational health report provides an independent medical opinion based on the available medical evidence, clinical assessment and relevant criteria. Where another organisation or pension scheme is responsible for the final determination, that decision remains entirely with them.
Do you undertake LGPS ill-health retirement assessments?
Yes. Where appropriately appointed, we can act as the Pension Scheme Medical Adviser/IRMP for LGPS cases and provide an independent medical opinion against the applicable ill-health retirement criteria.
Do you provide Isle of Man LGPS assessments?
Yes. We can undertake assessments in our capacity as the Pension Scheme Medical Adviser/IRMP, subject to the requirements of the relevant referral and scheme.
Do you make the final decision on whether someone qualifies for ill-health retirement?
This depends on the pension scheme. For schemes where we are appointed as the Pension Scheme Medical Adviser/IRMP, such as relevant LGPS and Isle of Man LGPS cases, we provide the required independent medical opinion against the scheme’s IHR criteria. For other schemes, including NHS and Teachers’ Pensions, we are not the scheme’s ultimate medical decision-maker.
Can you provide an independent opinion for an NHS Pension appeal?
Yes. We can provide an independent OHP assessment and medical opinion for appeal purposes, including cases referred in connection with the RCN. We are not the NHS Pension Scheme Medical Adviser, and the final determination remains with the relevant pension scheme decision-making process.
Can you assess Teachers’ Pension ill-health retirement cases?
Yes. Our OHPs can assess long-term occupational fitness and provide a supporting medical opinion. However, we are not the Teachers’ Pension Scheme Medical Adviser, and our opinion does not replace the scheme’s own medical assessment or decision-making process.
Can you assess NHS Pension ill-health retirement cases?
Yes. We can provide an occupational health assessment and supporting medical opinion for an NHS Pension IHR case. However, we are not the NHS Pension Scheme Medical Adviser, and the ultimate pension decision is made through the NHS Pension Scheme’s own process.