I think I made it clear right from my first post a #8, then again at #15, #21 and so on that I was talking about an assessment for reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act and how this could be carried out by a H&S person in consultation with the employee. I even said that I was not talking about a medical assessment and that obviously had to be carried out by a doctor in #21. It was very clear what I was talking about so I don't think I have moved away from my original point in anyway. Yes, the TS was talking about a risk assessment but under these circumstances why do you assume that the competent person has to be the H&S bod? Surely in a risk assessment where the two parties sit down and work things out together, the employee can be the competent party? or should we just assume they are generally too stupid to understand their own illness?

Perhaps the real lack here is that HR appear to have no overarching policy and process for assessing the needs of persons under the EA 2010. Such a process should set out the steps that will be taken for each affected individual and a commitment to support each employee. Individual assessments are then made at the point an employee comes forward with issues.