Medmark4SNAs :: Occupational Health Assessment - Medical Fitness to work as a special needs assistant

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Medical Fitness to work as a SNAs | Pre-Employment Medicals | Occupational Health Assessment | Ill Health Retirement Assessments

Medical Fitness to work as a special needs assistant

Why is ‘medical fitness to work as a special needs assistant’ an issue?
The reason for addressing the issue of medical fitness to assist as a SNA centres around the following requirements:

To ensure health, safety and well-being of SNAs.
To ensure the health, safety, well-being and educational progress of students.
To provide an efficient service, which will facilitate learning for students.
To manage any risk to the health of SNAs which may arise from their duties as assistants including ensuring that those duties do not exacerbate pre-existing health problems.
To ensure the health and safety of SNAs and other staff is not adversely affected by a colleague being medically unfit.
To enable all, including those with disabilities, who wish to pursue a career as a SNA to achieve their potential within the bounds of reasonable adjustment.

What are the benefits of carrying out medical fitness assessments for special needs assistants?

To ensure that the health of SNAs is being looked after.
To manage any sickness absence issues and ensure that SNAs are fit to assist in the job that they are employed to do.
To correct any issues at work which may be related to the illness of the SNA.
To promote health, safety and well-being in the SNA community.
To ensure that the health and safety of other SNAs and support staff is not affected by a colleague’s health condition.

When is assessment of medical fitness necessary?
The need to access medical fitness to work as a special needs assistant arises in a number of circumstances. The most common of these are:

On appointment as a SNA or return to assisting as a SNA following an absence in excess of 1 year.
During and/or following sickness absence.
Where health problems become otherwise evident during employment.
Where ill health retirement is being considered.

A Medical fitness assessment is complemented by health risk assessment and management which may be influenced by individual variables such as health status and pregnancy status.

What criteria are used to measure medical fitness?
To be able to undertake SNA duties safely and effectively, the following are among the more essential criteria in measuring SNAs medical fitness:

SNAs

Have the health and well-being necessary to deal with the specific types of assisting and associated duties in which they are engaged.
From a medical prospective are able to communicate effectively with students, parents and colleagues.
Possess sound judgement and insight.
Remain alert while assisting teachers in supervising students and/or working with hazardous materials
Can respond to students needs appropriately and effectively.
Are medically fit to assist in classes.
Do not constitute any risk to the health, safety or well-being of the students who they work with.
Can, where disabilities exist, be enabled by reasonable adjustments to meet all other criteria.