Pre-employment health screening

Pre-employment health screening is a procedure, which evaluates the wellness or fitness of an applicant's declared health in relation to the hazards and risks of the job, environment or activities.

Why provide pre-employment health screening?
Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must ensure that their employees are provided with appropriate health surveillance in relation to identifiable risks to their health and safety at work. Assessment of the pre-employment health questionnaire can be the first or only necessary step in a general health surveillance programme.

What is pre-employment health screening?
The most basic form is the use of questionnaire (PEQ), which explores the health of the applicant in relation to job demands and is assessed (with their consent) by a suitably trained person.

A more advanced procedure involves the questionnaire to be professionally designed for the health/work risks of the client and is followed by an evaluation performed by a qualified occupational health professional. An examination or clinical monitoring by a qualified occupational health professional can then be undertaken if required.

How Cheviot Artus can assist with pre-employment health screening?

We can design the occupational health questionnaire to ensure the questions are appropriate for the needs of the client company.
We can provide a professional evaluation of completed occupational health questionnaires.
We can provide a managed process by supplying a professional occupational health visiting service.

Will a health questionnaire be enough?
Before we design or start health questionnaire services we arrange a visit to ensure the service is focused and professional. At that time we will assess and advise on the needs in relation to risks and the employers statutory duties and best practice.

What happens if a problem is identified?
If problems are identified, it is essential to establish if the problem is restricted to an individual or the team. There are several possible recommendations or actions-

To obtain more information e.g. from the General Practitioner.
To refer for a specialist opinion.
To identify required reasonable adjustments.
To complete a specific risk assessment of the workplace in order to check and advise upon control measures, working practices protective equipment, etc.

Please call Cheviot Artus on 0870 379 5555 for further information, or assistance with any queries.