OHS Certification Trial

IMPORTANT - BT Retail OHS Certification Trial.

BT Retail has advised the union of its intention to implement a trial in Lancaster (and Warrington, Norwich & Shrewsbury) that replaces the need for a doctor to provide a health certificate for absence of 8 days and more, with advice from its OHS provider.

The Union is completely opposed to this trial

The Union was not given much notice of the trial and every effort at a national level, both formal and informal, has been made to have it stopped but BT has refused. There can be no doubt that this is a hostile act by BT and initially involved a proposal to cease paying company sick pay. Whilst that particular aspect of the trial has been removed at this stage, BT has stated that they plan to revisit this option. The trial itself remains offensive and in our view is simply an attempt by BT to aggressively manage sick absence and is potentially dangerous to the health and wellbeing of members when they are at their most vulnerable.

The new trial procedure states that individuals must contact OHS before 12 noon on the 8^th day of absence. In that call they are asked to give their doctors details. The procedure then has the OHS ringing the individual back later that day, conducting a telephone consultation and advising them if they are fit for work. Obviously the OHS will not actually have secured those medical records by the time they conduct the consultation.

The core issue for the CWU is that BT seeks to stand between a face to face consultation with the GP who knows and understands their patient in favour of a phone call with someone who may not even be a qualified doctor. No account is taken of a diagnosed underlying health condition; no account is taken that an individual may have already visited their GP and be receiving treatment; no account is taken of the impact of someone believing that their GP is redundant in this process and not visiting them at an early stage; and no account is taken of the delay to anyone in visiting their GP and perhaps receiving different/added medication.

The view of the CWU is that the request for members to phone the OHS on the 8^th day of their absence is no different from a normal OHS consultation. You have the right to simply refuse to contact the OHS, or to give permission for access to your medical records/GP.
This is a legal right and you cannot be compelled to comply. If you wish to read the relevant information, this can be found at the Access to Medical Records Act 1988, on the Department of Health web-site. www.dh.gov.uk.

YOU SHOULD NOT CONTACT THE OHS

If you are asked by your manager to contact the OHS during your sick absence you should respond “ON ADVICE FROM YOUR UNION YOU WILL NOT BE CONTACTING THEM.”

If any member wishes they can contact the Union at any stage during their absence to seek further advice and support.

It is important however that members continue to contact their GP in a timely manner and provide a GP’s Sick Certificate for any absences that are longer than 7 days.

If want any further information please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely,

Lancaster Section
CWU Manchester Clerical