NASBTT Occupational Health Guidance
ITT providers have a responsibility to ensure that trainees have the health and physical capacity to train to teach and will not put children and young people at risk of harm and that only trainees who have the capacity to teach remain on the programme (ITT criteria and supporting advice, C1.3) whilst meeting the expectations of the Equality Act 2010 in relation to the offer of reasonable adjustment(s).
To support ITT providers, NASBTT with the support of UCET, have developed the following guidance. This results from a significant body of work and research which revealed a lack of clarity around the expectations of a trainee’s role resulting in inconsistency in the criteria on which assessments of health and physical capacity to teach were being made. It was clear that a consistent application of a number of key principles would reduce the apprehension felt by ITT providers in making decisions that have the potential to be called into question.
Why is a consistent approach important?
NASBTT has worked with Corazon Health to offer a process specifically designed to determine the adjustment(s) a trainee might need in order to fulfil the typical demands of the teaching role they are to undertake. The use of a single Occupational Health provider offers consistency of assessment, which is important in preventing contradictory judgements, across different ITT providers, but also means that economies of scale have enabled us to negotiate a heavily discounted rate.
The following preferred rates are available exclusively to NASBTT and UCET members.
Corazon Health will invoice ITT providers directly for:
- Scheme registration (a one-off payment of £75);
- Assessment of each recruit’s questionnaire:
- where no additional information or clarification is required at £4 per questionnaire;
- where additional information or clarification is needed within a 15-minute phone call at £18 per questionnaire;
- where complex issues require a phone call of up to 30 minutes at £35 per questionnaire.
On the basis of similar work conducted elsewhere, Corazon Health predict that approximately 60% of questionnaires will be in Category A, 35% will require some follow up (Category B) and no more (and probably significantly less) than 5% will be in Category C. Were a case not to be resolved within the 30 minute phone call, an individual charge dependent upon the circumstances would be required, but it is unlikely that any adjustment(s) that could not be determined in 30 minutes would fall into the reasonable category.
ITT providers will be given the results of the assessments through an online dashboard within two working days of Corazon Health receiving a completed questionnaire in Category A. Telephone assessments for Category B and Category C questionnaires will be offered within a further three working days and decisions communicated within a further two working days. In rare circumstances where evidence is required from a GP or similar health professional, the process will inevitably take longer.