Posted By Raymond Rapp Hilary Not sure where you are coming from because confidentiality applies to both HR and OH. It will depend on circumstances and the persona of the individual. For example, in a previous role we had in our team a admin lady who worked for both the HSQE team and HR. She was very efficient and discreet, hence no problems that I was aware of. Ray

Posted By Kieran J Duignan Hilary From the limited information you state publicly, it appears that the root issues have to do with different sets of needs rather than legal rights. Needs of protection of private data about medical aspects of an individual's makeup rightly concern medically qualified people, which an HR professional (like myself as a Fellow of the CIPD) could easily misinterpret. The 'cover' for staff absence reflect valid needs of economy and perhaps also of fairness in delivery. As an occupational psychologist, it appears to me that addressing the balance of needs is very unlikely to succeed through any procedural process. By contrast, skilful cultural tools - such as newsletters, notices and even VERY VERY skilfully drawn cartoons - can communicate the necessary assurance and respect, with decorum on a timely basis. In my experience, the quality of written and picturial communication is the sungle process most neglected by health/safety professionals including some who misguidedly belief they are excellent communciators on the bssis of little or no reliable valid evidence to support their self-concepts. The consequences of this failure result in systematic failure to use and to create good opportunities to influence with integrity and to raise the status of their profession.