Mental health at work assessment

A supportive, impartial occupational health assessment of how your mental health affects your work and what support or adjustments could help.

✓ Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant · last reviewed September 2026 · next review September 2027 · how we review

In short

It is a supportive, impartial look at how your mental health affects work and what adjustments could help, not a diagnosis or treatment.
Your medical details stay confidential; normally only advice on fitness for work and adjustments is shared with your employer, with your consent.
If you are in crisis or unsafe, this is not emergency care — call 999 or go to A&E, or the Samaritans on 116 123. For urgent mental-health support, call 111 and choose the mental-health option in England, Scotland or Wales, or in Northern Ireland call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000.
It works best alongside treatment from your GP or a therapist, which looks after the health condition itself.

A plain-English summary. The detail — including risks and recovery — is below.

At a glance

TypeImpartial occupational health assessment and advice

AnaestheticNot applicable

How long it takesUsually a 30–60 minute appointment

Hospital stayOutpatient or remote appointment; no hospital stay

Time off workUsually none beyond the appointment itself

When you'll see resultsA written report with advice on fitness and adjustments, often within days to a couple of weeks

On the NHS?Usually arranged through your employer's occupational health service; treatment for a mental-health condition is provided by the NHS or privately

A general guide. Your specialist will give you advice for your situation.

Best fit

Helps you and your employer understand how your mental health affects your work.

Pause if

You are in a mental-health crisis or at risk of harm, when urgent care comes first, not a workplace assessment.

Main recovery point

You talk about your work, your mental health and what would help. The assessor checks your safety if needed and agrees what can be shared.

Good aftercare

A clear, compassionate report with practical, time-limited adjustments.

The appointment

You talk about your work, your mental health and what would help. The assessor checks your safety if needed and...

Soon after

The assessor writes a report with advice on fitness for work and adjustments. You can usually see it first and...

Report to your employer

With your consent, the advice and recommendations are shared with your manager or HR, without your private medical...

Adjustments discussed

You and your employer discuss which recommendations can be put in place, such as a phased return or more support.

Medical line illustration of an occupational health fitness assessment for Mental health at work assessment. — Illustration only - not a diagnosis, medical advice or a promise of result. Your anatomy and treatment plan may differ. Vuemedics does not publish before-and-after photos.

What is a mental health at work assessment?

A mental health at work assessment is a supportive conversation with an occupational health professional about how your mental health is affecting your work, and what could help you stay in or return to work. It is not a test you pass or fail, and it is not the same as treatment.

The assessor looks at the link between your wellbeing and your job: what helps, what makes things harder, and what adjustments might reduce the pressure. They take your mental health seriously and treat it with the same care as physical health.

Occupational health is impartial. The assessor advises both you and your employer fairly, not as anyone's representative. Your medical details stay confidential; normally only advice on your fitness for work and suggested adjustments is shared, and usually only with your consent.

This assessment does not diagnose or treat mental illness. If you need care, you will be signposted to your GP, an NHS or HSC talking-therapies service (in England this is often called NHS Talking Therapies; the service names, who can use them and how you are referred differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), a mental-health team or, in a crisis, urgent help. If you are in distress now, you do not need to wait for an appointment: call 999 or go to A&E if life is at risk, or the Samaritans on 116 123 at any time. For urgent mental-health support you can call 111 and choose the mental-health option in England, Scotland or Wales; in Northern Ireland call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 or your GP out-of-hours service.

Types, options & approaches

There may be different ways to do this. The right approach depends on the clinical question and your circumstances.

Individual occupational health assessment

A one-to-one appointment about how your mental health affects your work, what support you have, and what adjustments might help you stay in or return to work.

Management referral

Your employer refers you with specific questions, such as whether you are fit for work and what adjustments would help. You should be told what is being asked and why before you attend.

Self-referral

Where allowed, you can ask to be seen yourself to talk through how work and your mental health are interacting, often before things reach crisis point.

Return-to-work assessment

After time off for your mental health, an assessment to plan a safe, gradual return, often with a phased return and temporary adjustments.

Reasonable-adjustments focused assessment

Where a mental-health condition may count as a disability under the Equality Act, the assessment focuses on practical adjustments your employer should consider.

Mental health at work assessment vs clinical mental-health care

Aspect	Occupational health assessment	Clinical care (GP/therapy/crisis)
Main focus	Work, fitness and adjustments	Diagnosis, treatment and safety
Who provides it	Occupational health, impartial	GP, NHS/HSC talking therapies, mental-health team
Diagnoses or treats?	No	Yes
In a crisis	Not the right route	999, Samaritans 116 123, 111 mental-health option (Lifeline 0808 808 8000 in NI)

The two are complementary: the assessment supports your work, while clinical services look after your mental health.

Preparing for your test

Think about how your mental health is affecting your work, and which tasks or situations are hardest.
Note what helps you at work and what makes things more difficult.
List any adjustments you think might help, and anything that has helped before.
Bring details of any treatment or support you are getting, and your current medicines.
If it is a management referral, ask to see the questions your employer has asked beforehand.
Be clear about what you are happy to share and what you want kept confidential.
Save crisis numbers in case you need them, and tell the assessor if you are struggling to keep safe.

What happens

The appointment is a supportive, structured conversation, in person, by video or by phone. The assessor asks about your work, how your mental health is affecting it, the support you have, and what would help.

They will ask about your wellbeing and any symptoms, but the focus is on the link with work and on practical support, not on making a diagnosis. They explain what is confidential and what, with your consent, will go into the report.

If there are any signs you may be at risk, the assessor will check on your safety and make sure you know how to get urgent help, signposting you to your GP, crisis services or emergency care as needed.

Afterwards, they write a report with advice on your fitness for work and adjustments, such as a phased return, changes to workload, more support, or flexible hours. Medical detail is kept confidential; normally only the advice and recommendations are shared with your employer, and you can usually see the report first and correct factual errors.

Is this test right for me?

A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.

May not be suitable if…

You are in a mental-health crisis or at risk of harm, when urgent care comes first, not a workplace assessment.
Your main need is diagnosis or treatment, which your GP, an NHS or HSC talking-therapies service (NHS Talking Therapies in England) or a mental-health team should provide.
The core issue is a grievance, bullying or harassment that needs HR, your union or a formal process.
You want the assessment to settle a dispute or prove fault; it is an impartial health and work assessment, not an investigation.

Delay or rearrange if…

You are acutely unwell or unsafe and need urgent care before any work assessment.
You have not seen the questions behind a management referral and want to first.
You are unsure about confidentiality and consent and want to understand them before attending.
Your treatment has just changed and a clearer picture would be more useful in a short while.

Alternatives to discuss

Treatment and support from your GP, an NHS or HSC talking-therapies service (NHS Talking Therapies in England) or a mental-health team.
An employee assistance programme or workplace counselling, if available.
Reasonable-adjustments advice focused on specific changes to your work.
A work-related stress assessment if work pressures are the main driver.
Crisis services for urgent help (999; Samaritans 116 123; 111 mental-health option in England, Scotland or Wales; Lifeline 0808 808 8000 in Northern Ireland).

Before you decide

Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.

What matters most to me?

Think about symptoms, daily life, work, caring responsibilities, sport, fertility, travel, appearance and anxiety — the right choice depends on your priorities, not just the medical facts.

What are all my options?

Ask about waiting, monitoring, medicines, rehabilitation, a smaller or larger procedure, a different test, NHS referral, or a second opinion where that would help.

What would make me pause?

Active infection, pregnancy, unstable medical problems, smoking, medicines that increase bleeding, poor support at home, or feeling pressured are all reasons to slow down and get tailored advice.

What happens if I do nothing today?

For some problems, waiting is safe; for others, delay can make treatment harder. A good consultation should explain the trade-off in plain English.

Benefits

Helps you and your employer understand how your mental health affects your work.
Provides impartial, practical advice on adjustments and support that could help.
Supports you to stay in work, or to plan a safe, gradual return after time off.
Treats mental health with the same seriousness as physical health.
Signposts you to treatment, counselling or crisis support if you need it.

Risks & complications

More common

Talking about your mental health can feel exposing or upsetting.
You may worry about stigma or how your employer will respond to the report.
Recommended adjustments are advice, not orders, so they may not always be made.
The assessment supports your work but does not treat the condition itself.

Less common

Disagreement about what the report says or how it should be used.
Feeling the assessment did not capture the full picture.
Concern about confidentiality if it was not clearly explained.

Rare but serious

Medical information being shared more widely than necessary if consent and confidentiality are mishandled.
The assessment feeling punitive rather than supportive if poorly conducted.

Be clear from the start about confidentiality and consent: ask exactly what will be shared with your employer and what stays private. The assessor is impartial; adjustments are recommendations, and the employer decides what is reasonable. Most importantly, this assessment is not crisis care. If you are unsafe or thinking of suicide, get urgent help straight away rather than waiting for the appointment.

Published figures to discuss

There are no procedure complication rates for this assessment. How much it helps depends on the workplace, the support available and the underlying condition and its treatment. National outcome figures are not reliable to quote and could mislead.

Figure	Reported range	How to interpret it	Source / confidence
Suicide or self-harm risk	Must be assessed when relevant	Occupational advice should not overlook clinical crisis needs.	NHS — Where to get urgent help for mental healthnhs.ukSource-linked context
Workplace factors maintaining symptoms	Common	Workload, bullying, trauma exposure, conflict, shift work and lack of control may need employer action.	Guide sourcesClinical context
Confidentiality misunderstanding	Common	The employee should understand what will be reported to management.	Guide sourcesClinical context
Unsafe return to safety-critical work	Role-specific	Sedating medicines, concentration, sleep, risk and judgement should be considered for safety-critical duties.	NHS — Where to get urgent help for mental healthnhs.ukSource-linked context

These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.

What happens afterwards

There is no physical recovery. 'Afterwards' is about the report, the support and adjustments suggested, and continuing care for your mental health.

The appointment

You talk about your work, your mental health and what would help. The assessor checks your safety if needed and agrees what can be shared.

Soon after

The assessor writes a report with advice on fitness for work and adjustments. You can usually see it first and correct factual errors.

Report to your employer

With your consent, the advice and recommendations are shared with your manager or HR, without your private medical detail.

Adjustments discussed

You and your employer discuss which recommendations can be put in place, such as a phased return or more support.

Review

A follow-up is often arranged to see how things are going and whether the plan needs changing.

What's normal — and not a worry

Feeling tired or emotional after an open conversation about your mental health.
Taking time to see adjustments put in place at work.
Improvement being gradual, especially while treatment is ongoing.
Needing separate care from your GP or a therapist for the condition itself.

Aftercare

Read any report you are shown and check it is factually accurate.
Discuss the recommended adjustments with your manager or HR and agree next steps.
Keep up any treatment, therapy or medication your GP or therapist has advised.
Use a phased return plan if recommended, and pace yourself.
Tell occupational health or your manager if things are not improving or are getting worse.
Lean on trusted support, and keep crisis numbers easily to hand.
Be kind to yourself; recovery is rarely a straight line.

Before your test

Notes on how your mental health affects specific tasks
List of adjustments and supports that might help
The employer's referral questions, if it is a management referral
Current treatment, therapy and medicines listed
Clear idea of what you will and won't consent to share
A safety plan if you have one, shared with people you trust
Crisis support numbers saved (999; Samaritans 116 123; 111 mental-health option in England, Scotland or Wales; Lifeline 0808 808 8000 in Northern Ireland)

⚠ Get urgent help if…

Thoughts of suicide or harming yourself — get help now: call 999 or go to A&E, the Samaritans on 116 123 at any time, or 111 and choose the mental-health option in England, Scotland or Wales; in Northern Ireland call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000.
Feeling unable to keep yourself safe, or that you may harm someone else — seek emergency help immediately.
A rapid worsening of your mental state, severe distress, or losing touch with reality — contact your GP or crisis team urgently, or call 111 for urgent advice in England, Scotland or Wales; in Northern Ireland use your GP out-of-hours service or call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000.
Not sleeping or eating, or being unable to function day to day — speak to your GP urgently.
Drinking or using drugs more to cope — tell your GP or occupational health.
Feeling hopeless or that things will never get better — reach out to someone today; you do not have to manage alone.

Who to contact: your clinician, clinic or test provider first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.

General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your specialist gives you.

Results & realistic expectations

A good outcome is a clear, compassionate report that explains how your mental health affects your work and sets out practical adjustments and support, while keeping your private medical detail confidential. It should help you stay in or return to work, not label or judge you.

The assessment cannot diagnose or treat a mental-health condition, and it cannot guarantee that adjustments will be made; those are clinical and employer decisions. It works best alongside treatment from your GP or a therapist.

How long it lasts

Advice from the assessment reflects your situation at the time. Mental health can change, sometimes quickly, so the plan may need reviewing. Many people benefit from follow-up to check whether adjustments and support are helping, particularly during a phased return or while treatment is being adjusted.

Related tests, treatments or support

A mental health at work assessment often sits alongside treatment from your GP, an NHS or HSC talking-therapies service (called NHS Talking Therapies in England) or a mental-health team, plus reasonable-adjustments advice and sometimes a work-related stress assessment. Together these address both your health and the work factors involved.

Follow-up & long-term care

Follow-up usually means a review appointment to see how recommended adjustments and support are working, with further advice if needed. Your clinical care continues separately with your GP or therapist. If you are at any risk, the assessor will make sure there is a clear plan for urgent help.

Keep using the support and coping strategies that help.
Attend review appointments offered by occupational health.
Stay engaged with treatment or therapy from your own clinicians.
Have a simple safety plan and know your crisis contacts.
Raise new or returning difficulties early rather than waiting.

Repeat, follow-on and what comes next

Advice is commonly reviewed and updated as your mental health changes.
A phased return plan is often adjusted at each stage.
If the first adjustments do not help, a reassessment can refine them.
Recommendations may change as treatment takes effect or your role changes.

Ask what happens if the result is unclear or needs repeating, and what is included if further tests or follow-up are needed.

What good aftercare looks like

A clear, compassionate report with practical, time-limited adjustments.
A named occupational health contact for questions and review.
A review appointment to check whether support is helping.
A clear crisis and safety plan with numbers to call (999; Samaritans 116 123; 111 mental-health option in England, Scotland or Wales; Lifeline 0808 808 8000 in Northern Ireland).
Joined-up working between occupational health, your manager and your GP or therapist, with your consent.

What affects the cost

Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:

Whether the assessment is face-to-face, by video or by phone, and how long the appointment is.
How detailed the report needs to be and how many specific questions are answered.
Whether follow-up or review appointments are included, for example during a phased return.
Whether onward referral or liaison with your GP or specialist is arranged.
Who is arranging and paying for the assessment, usually the employer rather than you.

Make sure your written quote includes

Who carries out the assessment and that they are an impartial occupational health professional.
What the assessment includes: the appointment and the written report.
Exactly what will be shared with the employer and what stays confidential.
Whether you can see the report first and how to correct factual errors.
Whether follow-up or review appointments are included.
How urgent risk is handled and what crisis signposting is provided.

On the NHS? A mental health at work assessment is usually arranged through your employer's occupational health service; treatment for a mental-health condition is provided separately by the NHS or privately, and urgent help is always available through NHS crisis services.

You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including reports, follow-up and what happens if the result is inconclusive — before you decide.

Choosing a specialist safely

Check the specialist is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
Make sure they work at a CQC-registered service, and look for membership of the relevant Royal College or professional body.
You're entitled to time to consider and to have your questions answered before you agree — the specialist who looks after you should explain it, not a salesperson.
Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including any follow-up — before you decide.

How Vuemedics verifies every consultant →

Questions to ask your medical professional

Take this to your consultation. A good specialist will welcome every one of these.

What exactly will be shared with my employer, and what stays confidential?
Can I see the report before it is sent, and how do I correct any errors?
What adjustments and support are you recommending, and for how long?
How will a phased return work, and who will review how I am doing?
Where can I get treatment, therapy or crisis support for the health side?
Could my condition count as a disability under the Equality Act, and what would that mean?
Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
Will you be the specialist who carries out my test, and who looks after me afterwards?
What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
What does a realistic result look like — and what can this test not achieve?
What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?

Frequently asked questions

Will my employer find out my diagnosis or what I say?

No. Occupational health is impartial and confidential. Normally only advice on your fitness for work and suggested adjustments is shared, usually with your consent. Your diagnosis and private details are not passed on without good reason and your agreement.

Is this the same as seeing a psychiatrist or therapist?

No. The assessment focuses on work and what would help. It does not diagnose or treat mental illness. If you need care, you will be signposted to your GP, an NHS or HSC talking-therapies service (called NHS Talking Therapies in England) or other services.

What happens if I say I am struggling to keep safe?

The assessor will take it seriously, check on your safety and make sure you know how to get urgent help. This is not a reason to avoid the conversation; being honest helps you get the right support.

Can I see the report before my employer does?

Usually yes. You can often see the report first and ask for any factual errors to be corrected before it is shared.

Does my employer have to make the adjustments?

The report gives advice. Where a mental-health condition counts as a disability under the Equality Act, employers must make reasonable adjustments, but they decide what is reasonable in your workplace.

I am in crisis right now — what should I do?

Do not wait for an appointment. Call 999 or go to A&E if life is at risk, or the Samaritans on 116 123 at any time. For urgent mental-health support, call 111 and choose the mental-health option in England, Scotland or Wales; in Northern Ireland call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000, your GP or the GP out-of-hours service.

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How we made this page

Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →

Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.

Sources & standards: Mind — Mental health at work NHS — Where to get urgent help for mental health HSE — Work-related stress and mental health Acas — Getting a doctor's report about a worker's health Samaritans — Contact us (call 116 123) Society of Occupational Medicine nidirect — urgent and emergency care services (Northern Ireland) nidirect — GP out-of-hours service (Northern Ireland) NHS England — NHS 111 mental-health crisis support NHS inform (Scotland) — get urgent mental-health help NHS 111 Wales — mental health and wellbeing nidirect — mental-health emergency / Lifeline (Northern Ireland) NHS — find NHS Talking Therapies (England) NHS inform (Scotland) — psychological therapies NHS 111 Wales — counselling nidirect — mental-health care professionals (Northern Ireland)

Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.

Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.