Sheffield Occupational
Health Advisory Service
An Independent Workplace Health Charity
Support The service we provide is free, confidential and accessible to anyone who lives or works in Sheffield.
Inform Our team of highly skilled and experienced advisers are capable of helping with both straightforward and complex issues.
‘The advisor was fantastic at listening and really empathetic. They really helped me and I’m very grateful for their ongoing support. They provided invaluable advice not only face to face but also via email and helped me during a very difficult time with my current employer’
– SOHAS service user
‘SOHAS has been invaluable in providing a supportive service to our clients who have sustained a brain injury.
Our staff members have liaised with SOHAS employees via email, over the phone and in person, and have always found their advice and recommendations to be timely and helpful. Their expertise in the employment sector and knowledge around the intricacies of employment rights and law have been beneficial to our clients, especially those who require advocacy. Their input has enabled a number of brain injury survivors to map out a realistic return to work and to retain their jobs. We cannot recommend their service highly enough!’
– Clinician
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get an appointment with an adviser? We aim to give you advice within 2 weeks of you making contact with us. Most of the time, it takes no more than 7 days to have an appointment with a SOHAS adviser.
What happens during an advice session? The SOHAS adviser will ask for some details about yourself, what job you do and what kind of help you need from the adviser.
What happens to the information I give the adviser? The information you give us is confidential and is stored appropriately under GDPR regulations. It will only be shared if you consent to it. We record basic information that is required to fulfil our contracts with our funders.
Do I have to tell my employer that I am getting advice from an adviser? No, the information provided is confidential. What you tell your employer is entirely up to you. We will only contact your employer if you consent to doing so.
What kind of advice will the advisers give? SOHAS advisers have training and knowledge in a range of specialist areas. From employment rights, to health and safety, to knowledge about reasonable adjustments and stress at work, to help support you to keep you healthy in the workplace.
Do I have to pay for the service? For individual employees who work or live in Sheffield, the service is free. Advice sessions normally last 45 minutes. We are an independent registered charity, primarily funded by Sheffield City Council.
How long can you give me advice for? Unlike many specialist advice services, we will give you advice and support for long as you need it. Our services are time unlimited. You can come back at any time to get more advice, whether that is to do the same issue you came to us with or if you want help on a different issue.
What happens if I need some advice that the adviser can’t give me? We are an independent service who give specialist advice on workplace health issues. If you require advice that is outside our remit, you will be informed and referred to an extensive network of organisations who have specialists in the field you need.
Do you give advice on work related benefits? SOHAS advisers can provide some support with work related benefits, including Employment Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Statutory Sick Pay and Access to Work. In some cases we may have to signpost to other organisations.
Workplace Health
Programme
Making a complaint. If you are unhappy with the advice and support you have been given, or you would like to offer some feedback, you can use the SOHAS complaints procedure. Please contact the SOHAS manager on 0114 275 5760 or email nick.pearson@sohas.co.uk with details of your complaint. The SOHAS manager will get in contact with you to discuss the issues raised in your complaint. If you are unhappy with the way the SOHAS manager has dealt with your complaint, you can contact the chair of the trustees who will review the way your complaint has been dealt with. Ring 0114 275 5760 and ask to speak to the SOHAS administrator. You will be contacted by the chair who will review your complaint.