Can occupational health screenings disclose sickness absence to a new employer?

[ChillBizz]

I’ve recently accepted a conditional offer for a new role (public sector – think civil service / NHS / local authority), which is subject to references, background checks and a health screening.

I’ve been on sick leave from my current role for around 3 months due to poor mental health, but I’m due to return to work within the next week. Prior to this, I’ve been in my current role for 7 years with no previous absences.

My current employer only provides basic references (employment dates etc.), so I’m confident they haven’t disclosed anything about my sickness absence. However, I was honest on the health screening form and disclosed my situation, I’ve since had a call with them where they seemed concerned due to the timing and current absence, and my case has been escalated for further review.

The new role doesn’t start until September, so I expect to be fully back at work well before then.

I’m now worried that being honest may have negatively affected my chances. Has anyone been through something similar, and is it likely that an offer could be withdrawn at this stage? And can occupational health share details like sickness absence or current sick leave with the new employer, or is that kept confidential?

Yes, with so many unemployed no one would want to take on a unproductive member of staff who is always off sick.

@SkybluepinkyThat’s really unhelpful and unnecessary comment.
The OH will share the report with the prospective employer with your consent. How much detail have you disclosed already? Your wellbeing is your priority so you shouldn’t beat yourself up about needing that time off. If the new employer is concerned about this then that’s understandable but the OH maybe able to mitigate your absence by highlighting that x medication is now working, you have undergone therapy or whatever solution was put in place to facilitate your return to work.

Are you going to go back to work next week?

It looks suspicious being off sick in then looking to leave screams I’m jumping before I’m pushed

I think it’s perfectly reasonable for an employer to have second thoughts about employing someone who has found a new job while on long term sick leave.

If it’s a long term sickness, even if it’s the first time they have no idea whether that is going to be a one off or not when taking someone on.

I had a period of extended sick leave last year as I had a transplant. I decided while I was off sick that I would like to change jobs for various reasons, but realistically it’s not reasonable to expect an employer to take someone on with an at that point unknown sickness potential.

I’ve had limited time off sick before that, so technically I could have said that this would be a one off. But realistically I’ve not had a transplant before, and so I had no idea that I wouldn’t have any setbacks or rejections or infections due to the immune suppression, so I couldn’t hand on heart say that it was a one off.

I’ve been back at work now for nearly 8 months and so can now confidently say that I’m through the highest risk period and that my sickness record has gone back to exemplary. As such I’d hope an employer would take less interest in what happened 8 months ago than if I’d wandered into a new job instead of back to my old one when the return to work arrived.

didnt the op have 7 years of no sickness?
in which case it looks absolutely fine
and your times and dates will be shared but i dont think the details

Surely that depends on the reason for the sick leave?

The confidential part will be the medical bit, the reason your absent, treatment etc.

But they can and will very likely share the current long term absence. OH have been asked to assess your current health and any ongoing medical conditions which may impact your ability to do the job and your current absence comes under this.
I always advise people not to volunteer information they’re not asked for, however if you are directly asked, either by filling out a medical form or in an OH appointment, you need to be truthful. In many jobs it can be a sackable offence to have been found to have lied in the recruitment process.

Its probably unlikely they would withdraw the job offer but they may want a further OH review once you have returned to work to see how that’s going

I can’t see why any employer would be willing to hire someone. Who is currently on long term sick leave. Why would anyone carefully choose someone to join their team who is demonstrably not currently able to work?

I am also in pre employment checks for this type of public sector role, and disclosed to OH a serious diagnosis and 3 weeks of sick leave (several months ago) earlier this week... Now the recruiting HR manager wants to talk to me next week...

.

Thank you, I have disclosed the length & reasoning with what’s been put in place to support my return next week. As there is months between starting the new role I’m hoping it all works out as prior to this I’ve never been in this sort of situation and this was a one off due to a personal circumstance that’s now been resolved so I will continue to highlight about the treatment working

Yes

Good luck, fingers crossed it all works out okay

I declared a previous mh problem on the oh screening form. They called me to talk it through, realised it was a toxic workplace and that I was proactive in getting out of that situation so cleared me to work.

Occupational health reports to a prospective employer are supposed to be limited to fitness for the role — they shouldn't be sharing your full medical history or details of your current absence. You also have the right to see the OH report before it's sent.
The more important protection here is the Equality Act. Mental health conditions that have a substantial and long-term effect on day-to-day life are classed as a disability, and withdrawing a job offer because of a health condition disclosed at screening can amount to disability discrimination — even before employment starts. Public sector employers in particular have a duty to consider reasonable adjustments rather than simply withdrawing.
Being back at work well before September starting is a strong position to be in.
ukworkrights.co.uk has a free discrimination rights checker that covers exactly this — no login needed.