Referral to occupational health - what to expect

[Frieda86]

Im struggling with stress at the moment and my HT has offered to refer me to oc health.
What would they do? How confidential is it?

The first thing to is is talk to your Union. Not the school rep but the regional rep. It would be a good idea to talk to your Doctor. Make a lost of all the interactions that are triggering stress and keep a diary of events at school.

Why do i need the union?

I used OH for my return after Breast cancer. They were brilliant and gave recommendations for a gradual return to work.

The fact that my HT didn't totally go along with the time frame is another matter.

Hopefully it is a supportive measure for you. They may make some helpful suggestions for you and SLT re workload.
Just be cautious as one of my team was referred after being off sick with stress. The report concluded she wouldn’t need any support for her mental health in the next 12 months! She didn’t return to work and had ongoing MH support.
Even a qualified Mental Health practitioner couldn’t predict that.