Can my GP overrule O.H?

Jarndyce

Uncertain wrote: »

Well, technically any doctor's first (and legal) duty is to act in the best interest of the patient - not whoever is paying him. In fact he would get into serious trouble with the GMC if it could be proved that he had done otherwise.

An OH physician's role is to advise the employer how, in his professional opinion, the patient's work would be affected by their health. He does not "overrule" the GP. It should also be noted that, unless there has been an agreed dialogue between OH and the GP the OH doctor will not normally have anything like as much information on which to base his opinion.

If there is a real conflict of opinion the the OP should ask for a third opinion and the company would be foolish to refuse.

If we're being that pedantic, OH examiners are not all doctors (or men!). In stress cases I suspect that most will be nurses/care assistants using one of the tickbox scoring systems and that score along with the pre-written description relating to that score is all the employer will get.

If you've seen many of these reports they are all standard format with a tiny amount of personal info squeezed in. Few OH people take the trouble to consult properly with GPs - they may again have a standard form which the GP has been asked to complete with minimal information on it.

The idea of an underpaid OH practitioner speaking at length on the phone to a GP is quite frankly ludicrous.