Occupational health sending report to my manager that contains really personal things - AIBU

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I've been off work due to poor mental health, and as part of my return to work I have had a meeting with occupational health. It was a long meeting that was really personal and they have written up a report to send to my manager and HR. I asked to see the report before it gets sent, and it's really upset me to be honest. It's so personal and talks about things I wouldn't even tell my closest friends. AIBU to want to edit it to remove a lot of the details? For example, it mentions things about me struggling to get out of bed, isolating myself from my friends and things I've worried about.

It's made the return to work process even more stressful as I categorically do not want my line manager to know all of this about me.

Does anyone have any experience in this to know if I'm being unreasonable? The report also includes a back to work plan with actionable steps and targets - surely that's the important part rather than hearing all about my personal struggles?

The report also includes the medication I'm on and the dosages, I don't see how that's relevant either. My manager and HR aren't medical professionals, why do they need to know what medication I'm on. Fair enough for it to say 'X started taking antidepressants X months ago' but the exact medication and dosages - they have no need for that information.

The more I think about it all the more upset I get to be honest. I'm fine with leaving in some information as I get that my manager and HR need to know some of the context, but this is way too much information. I think, on my end, I almost felt like I needed to prove how unwell I had been, as if I would be accused that I hadn't been ill enough to not be at work.

@VerveClique Yes thank you, I found your post really helpful.

Thank you OP.

Having been in that terrible brain fog position myself at time, just decide what you’re going to do now (request to edit the report) then do it (but not too much) and decide to leave it at that for now.

Your employer should then want to have a conversation with you about whether you see yourself returning to work in the foreseeable future, and what they might be able to do to support you in that. Just be honest but understand that even if they are compelled to make adjustments, they aren’t obliged to keep you in your role indefinitely, so you have nothing to lose.

look at the Acas code on discipline and grievance… even though they’re dealing with your ill health they have to follow this in terms of meetings, escalation, putting things in writing etc.

then…. easy for me to say but after you’ve taken each step just wait for your employer to take the text step, and try to rest and avoid ruminating on it.

I wish you well x

Your medication details should not be in an OH report.

All an employer needs to know is that you are receiving appropriate treatment and any side effects relevant to your work.

In fact, providing medication specifics does not actually provide them with the information they need as an employer, because they do not have the medical expertise to interpret that data (something they have in common with the OH person it seems).

I work in OH . If u request to see the report before your employer, its normally 48 hours only then.it would sent off to your HR. The referral document HR send to OH has lots of questions,( tick boxes) so the OH nurse would probably just be respnding to the HR questions and maybe elaborating but if you didnt want things shared you maybe shouldnt have disclosed those things.

@Moversnotshakers .. your final sentence concerns me but perhaps its an issue of brevity and lack of tone.

The OP is a vulnerable person who was 'ordered' to attend this meeting as part of her employment obligations. At the time that she gave her consent to sharing information she was not aware of the depth of information that would be required. This makes the original consent invalid and she should retain the right to revoke consent at any time.

It is also disengenious to say she shouldn't have given details of her treatment ifnshe didn't want to have them shared... she has repeatedly said she felt she had to give more details and justify her illness.

The details may have been required for the OH consultant to make their assessment but she should be able to request that the details which are not relevant to any decisions relating to returning to work and adjustments remain confidential.

So Movers, do explain how that works in respect of a) the common law duty of confidentiality and b) the GDPR?

I've gone through the report and removed a few things but left most of it in so that there is enough context. I'm never going to be strong/open enough to verbally say those things to my manager so I might as well let the report explain what I've been going through. I went through it with a close friend which helped to get a second opinion

I’m quite shocked that @Moversnotshakers works in OH as they should know that you can consent (or not) to information being disclosed . Plus any professional OH team will not disclose information about the persons medical history to their manager ( following their own duty of confidentiality as a clinician ) so, only the information the employer needs to be able to make a decision on next steps is disclosed. Enough to help the manager make a decision on reasonable adjustments for example or at times when the person cannot return to work for redeployment or ill health retirement etc.
Wishing you good luck op.