SPM50515 - Medical Referrals - Incapacity for work

Obtaining an opinion from Medical Services

If an employer requests an opinion by Medical Services, check that the:

• information given by the employer is complete,
• employee has given their consent for medical opinion, and
• request is at the appropriate time.

For a list of common illnesses, see the Incapacity Reference Guide, SPM50600.

Return the correspondence to the employer with SSP34 if the:

• information is incomplete
• employee has not given their consent, or
• request has been made too early.

If the request is acceptable:

• check for previous papers, in case medical advice on this employee has been given previously
• send an SSP42 to their doctor with copy of the employee's consent include a first class prepaid envelope addressed to the Medical Services centre, see the current address list for their addresses
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• send the competed (This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)to Medical Services, with a copy of the employee's consent, using the address list, see SPM50215
• send form SSP31 to the employer to acknowledge request for a Medical Services opinion
• send form SSP31 to employee to notify them of the employer’s request for a Medical Services opinion
• BF for 6 weeks

If entitlement to SSP ceases before the result is received, notify Medical Services immediately, by telephoning Medical Services Customer Service.

(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

• (This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
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