AUG 24, 2025
Though there is a reduced risk from the Covid-19 hazard since it reduced from a pandemic to endemic virus (current offshore prevalence 7%, incidence 4 per 1000) the reduction does not justify giving up on methods that were used during the pandemic.
Evidence shows that remote medical assessment is as effective by outcome as ‘hands on’ assessment.
The MPTS, NHS and Courts rely on remote communication and the OEUK discussion on assessment methodology is carried out remotely. The arguments put forward in June 2020 persist, even in the absence of a viral threat.
Evidence of need for and efficacy of Remote Health Assessment in the Offshore workforce: 5 year review
WHO historical policy
The World Health Organisation declared a Global Covid-19 pandemic on 11 March 2020. International efforts were made to reduce transmission including, for example ‘lockdown’ measures in many countries.
OEUK Response
The offshore industry responded with various measures including quarantine periods and testing. Though initially, OEUK (then OGUK) responded by authorising extension of previous time-limited certificates, on 2 June 2020 it issued an amendment to its medical assessment guidelines to permit ‘socially distanced’ (remote) assessment of workers in accordance with the contemporaneous (2006) standard.
WHO Contemporaneous Policy
On 10 Dec 2024 the World Health Organisation published policy on Infection prevention and control measures in Health Care Settings. It stated “most countries have lifted public health and social measures and have moved to end their national COVID-19 emergencies. In this context, many around the world wish to move on and forget their experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic……. It is vital that countries sustain the public health response to Covid-19 amid ongoing illness and death and the emergence of SARS-COv-2 variants, adapting it to the requirements based on the current Covid-19 situation and risk”
OEUK Position
The 2006 standard and the 2 June 2020 amendment remain in force though certain voices have reflected the WHO observation that they wish to move on and forget.
Outcome Data
Remote v physical attendance: No Detriment
At the five year anniversary we have audited our ‘remote assessment’ practice to compare remote outcomes with physical attendance outcomes using the same measures as those reported on 15 July 2020 to OEUK’s medical advisor and since mainly adopted by OEUK (1). Before year ending June 2021, all Bonhard Medical assessments were in person, since then all have been remote.
|
Bonhard Outcome data June to May of Year noted |
|||||||||
|
Year end |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
F2F % |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
|
Remote % |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unrestricted |
87.6% |
90.6% |
92.3% |
91.5% |
87.8% |
87.1% |
87.8% |
92.4% |
91.1% |
|
Time limited |
10.1% |
8.3% |
6.7% |
8.2% |
11.6% |
12.2% |
11.2% |
7.1% |
8.0% |
|
Restricted |
0.6% |
0.3% |
0.5% |
0.3% |
0.2% |
0.3% |
0.3% |
0.2% |
0.3% |
|
Pass |
98.3% |
99.3% |
99.5% |
100.0% |
99.6% |
99.6% |
99.3% |
99.7% |
99.4% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Temp unfit |
1.7% |
0.7% |
0.5% |
0.0% |
0.4% |
0.3% |
0.6% |
0.3% |
0.5% |
|
Perm Unfit |
0.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
0.1% |
0.0% |
0.1% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
|
Fail |
1.7% |
0.7% |
0.5% |
0.0% |
0.4% |
0.4% |
0.7% |
0.3% |
0.6% |
|
OEUK Data November to October of year noted |
|||||||||
|
Year end |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
F2F % |
100% |
100% |
100% |
(50%) |
(20%) |
(50%) |
x |
x |
|
|
Remote % |
0% |
0% |
0% |
(50%) |
(80%) |
(50%) |
x |
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unrestricted |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
87% |
x |
|
|
Time limited |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
10% |
x |
|
|
Restricted |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
2% |
x |
|
|
Pass |
x |
x |
99% |
99.03% |
99.04% |
99.13% |
99% |
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Temp unfit |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Perm Unfit |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Fail |
x |
x |
1% |
0.97% |
0.96% |
O.87% |
1% |
x |
|
x = No data published (-) = estimate
OEUK reports for year Nov 2022-Oct 2023 (1) based on 164,203 assessments by unspecified means
Overall fail rates recorded in OEUK Health & Safety Insight 2023
Bonhard Medical Data supports a ‘no detriment’ conclusion comparing outcomes before and after change of practice.
OEUK data supports a ‘no detriment’ conclusion comparing remote v physical attendance OEUK outcomes before and after introduction of remote assessment. Notably when most (probably all) assessments were carried out remotely after introduction of the June 2020 document, there was no significant change in ‘pre-covid’ outcomes.
Bonhard Medical outcomes show ‘no detriment’ compared with OEUK data.
Covid-19 Data
Since the onset of the pandemic we have collected data on self report of ever having Covid-19 infection by calendar year
2021 14.3%
2022 50.8%
2023 58.2%
2024 65%
Incidence (how many catch the disease over a set time)
Initial data reflects the success of general measures taken by the industry; after a sudden increase after these were lifted, the annual rise in lifetime incidence settled at 7% (of the population assessed). Thus the annual incidence of Covid-19 in the OEUK estate has plateaued at 7% per annum by our measure.
Prevalence (How many have the disease now)
In each year 0.04% of clients declared a current Covid-19 infection at assessment indicating prevalence and consistent with the calculation Prevalence = incidence x disease duration (2), based on a median disease duration of 20 days (3).
Our findings are consistent with World Health Organisation data published on their dashboard (4).
Conclusions
Covid19 infection remains a risk to the Offshore workforce.
There is no detriment by outcome in making remote health assessment compared with in person heath assessment.
1. OEUK Health & Safety Insight 2024
2. Tenny S, Hoffman MR. Prevalence. [Updated 2023 May 22]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430867/?utm
3. Liu B, Jayasundara D, Pye V, Dobbins T, Dore GJ, Matthews G, Kaldor J, Spokes P. Whole of population-based cohort study of recovery time from COVID-19 in New South Wales Australia. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2021 Jul;12:100193. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2021.100193. Epub 2021 Jun 25. PMID: 34189493; PMCID: PMC8225991.
4. https://data.who.int/dashboards/covid19/cases
OGUK/OEUK medicals can be completed remotely in line with the latest OEUK standards.
Book online and attend by secure video call with the doctor at your scheduled time. Your medical data is stored securely.
On completion, your certificate is emailed immediately and remains available to download any time through your secure account.
