What to Expect at Your Occupational Health Medical Assessment
What to bring to medical assessments
Photo ID
A valid photo ID is required for all medical assessments. Please ensure you bring this with you.
Reading or Distance Glasses
Many assessments include vision testing. If you wear prescription glasses, please bring them to your appointment.
Glasses Prescription
This applies only to individuals undergoing train driver or train movement medicals. If this applies to you, please bring a copy of your most recent glasses prescription, as it will be reviewed by our medical team.
Typical assessment process
As part of your medical assessment, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire relevant to your role. One of our technicians will review your responses with you during your appointment.
The questionnaire typically includes questions about:
Your job role or title
The environment you work in and any potential hazards
General health and medical history
If a health condition is disclosed, the technician may ask for additional details such as:
Date of diagnosis
Any past or current treatments
Medications you are taking
How the condition affects your daily life
All information shared during your assessment is strictly confidential and will not be disclosed to your employer without your consent.
Practical testing during your medical
Following the completion of your medical questionnaire, our technician will carry out a range of practical tests tailored to the type of medical you are undertaking. These may include, but are not limited to:
Height, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI)
Blood pressure and pulse rate/regularity
Ishihara colour vision screening
Distance, near, and peripheral vision testing
Mobility, flexibility, and balance assessment
Urinalysis (screening for protein, glucose, and blood)
Audiometry (hearing test)
For more specialised medicals, additional tests may be required, such as:
Spirometry or Peak Flow testing (lung function)
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Tecumseh Step Test
Chester Step Test
Grip strength measurement
Point-of-care glucose or cholesterol testing
Assessment outcomes
Once your examination is complete, our technician will usually be able to provide you with the outcome. However, in some cases, the results must be reviewed by one of our Occupational Health Physicians before a final decision is made.
The possible outcomes include:
Full Pass
You meet the medical standards required for your role. A certificate or report confirming this will be sent to the individual or organisation that booked your appointment.
Fit with Restriction
In some cases, a restriction may be applied to ensure workplace safety, either for yourself or others. This is typically due to a medical condition that raises concerns related to job-specific risks. The nature of the restriction will be noted on the report or certificate; however, no specific medical details will be disclosed.
Six-Month or Two-Month Pass
These shorter-term passes are issued when additional medical information is needed (e.g. from your GP or a specialist). Once the required information is received and reviewed, a final decision will be made, and the certificate may be updated with an extended validity.
Unfit
At the time of your assessment, you do not meet the medical standards required for your role. This may be due to a medical condition or the use of certain medications that could impact your ability to work safely. This outcome is not necessarily final and may be reviewed if further information is provided by your GP, specialist, or optician.
Any additional information required for temporary or unfit outcomes must be provided within six months of your original assessment date. If this timeframe is exceeded, a new medical assessment will be necessary.
Drug and alcohol testing
What to Bring
Photo ID – Mandatory. Testing cannot be conducted without valid photo identification.
A copy or list of prescription medications taken within the last 14 days
How to Prepare
Alcohol Test – Do not eat or drink anything 15 minutes prior to the breathalyser test.
Urine Drug Test – If a urine test is scheduled, please ensure you can provide a sample by staying hydrated before your assessment.
What to Expect During the Assessment
The technician will begin by confirming your personal details and explaining the drug and alcohol testing process.
Alcohol Testing
A breathalyser test will be conducted by having you blow into a device that instantly measures the presence of alcohol in your system.
If alcohol is detected, a second breath test will be carried out 15 minutes after the initial reading to confirm the result.
Drug Testing Methods
Drug testing may be conducted using one or more of the following methods:
Urine – Instant result or sent to a laboratory
Saliva – Instant result or sent to a laboratory
Hair – Laboratory testing only
For a urine test the technician will:
Ask you to empty your pockets (a secure location will be provided for your belongings)
Request that you choose a testing kit at random
Put blue dye in the toilet and instruct you not to flush
Tell you not to wash your hands until specified
This is all to protect the security and integrity of the urine collection.
For a saliva test the technician will:
Ask you to choose a testing kit at random
Ask you to place the testing swab in your mouth, this may take up to 7 minutes
For the Hair test the technician will:
Select a section of hair approximately 1cm in width and cut the hair as close to the scalp as possible
If the instant tests (Urine or Saliva) come back as a non-negative result the sample will need to be sent to the laboratory for further analysis. In cases of saliva another sample will need to be obtained.
The results of the drug tests and medical examinations will be sent to the booker of the appointment.