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Most employees are medically assessed before they commence their
employment with the Authority. The primary objectives of this assessment
are to ensure that the candidates are fit to carry out the duties of the post
without either risk to themselves or to others in the same environment;
for example, freedom from any transmissible infection is extremely
important especially in those working in close relationship with children.
At the same time the Authority is protected from either employing people
liable to suffer from an undue amount of sick leave or who would be
an unacceptable risk for the superannuation fund.
The medical assessment takes the form of (1) completion of a medical
questionnaire and (2) evidence of a recent satisfactory x-ray of chest.
Occasionally further enquiries are necessary and these may be made by
either an approach to the general practitioner concerned or by medical
examination by local authority medical officer or, if necessary, hospital
consultant.
A considerable amount of work is involved when employees are being
considered for retirement on the grounds of ill health. This decision is
only reached by medical staff after alternative employment has been
considered and found to be unsuitable. Re-allocation of duties for
employees no longer able to perform their previous employment ensures
for them not only extra income compared with that of a premature pension
but also offers general satisfaction of still being able to do a useful job
of work. Naturally, the authority gains by retaining the services of loyal
hard-working men and women.
Occasionally, employees when they reach their normal age of retirement
express a wish to carry on working. In cases such as these, before
any extensions of service are granted, each applicant has a medical
assessment and their medical state and sick leave during the preceding
year are considered in relation to the duties of the post.