Services > Psychological Screening
The psychological screening of employees using reliable and validated online questionnaires is a key mechanism for protecting those at high risk of psychological injury and distress. It also allows for the creation of a benchmark against which it is possible to identify changes in psychological wellbeing.
Noreen Tehrani Associates offer three types of screening supported if needed by psychological interviews:
-
Pre-deployment screening identifies if an employee has any significant mental health issues which may need to be addressed should they take a role with a high level of trauma exposure.
-
Surveillance screening is part of a preventative process that provides an opportunity to monitor the psychological wellbeing of employees and teams to highlight wellbeing support and training needs.
-
Referral screening can be requested for employee’s identified as requiring a clinical assessment, opinions and management advice.
Pre-deployment screening
Where employees are involved in roles which expose them to a high level of stress and trauma it is important for employers to protect their health and wellbeing.
Pre-deployment screening is helpful in ensuring that applicants are psychologically fit and resilient. Pre-deployment screening uses a number of well-established and reliable screening tools to measure levels of anxiety, depression, burnout, traumatic stress and compassion fatigue.
An increasing number of organisations including: police, ambulance, fire & rescue, education, social services, humanitarian and youth organisations are using this facility to ensure that they appoint the right people and provide an appropriate level of support for their employees in high-risk roles.
Before considering introducing pre-deployment screening it is important for the organisation to undertake a HazFit role risk assessment for each of the roles under consideration. The HazFit enables the organisation to identify which roles require screening. The online pre-deployment screening checks clinical symptoms, coping skills and levels of resilience
Surveillance
screening
Referral screening
Where a role poses a risk to the psychological wellbeing of an employee, there will be a need for surveillance screening.
Annual Surveillance Screening enables management to ensure that the work undertaken is not adversely affecting its workers. The core clinical screening questionnaires used for Annual Surveillance are the same as in the Pre-Deployment screening allowing for comparisons to be made over time.
At the completion of each Annual Surveillance a management dashboard is provided comparing clinical scores, lifestyle and stressor means to prior year and benchmark levels. In addition, bespoke analysis undertaken for example factor or cohort analysis may be completed on request.
For the highest risk roles, it may be recommended that psychological surveillance screening is completed every six months supported by psychological interviews.
On occasions organisations need to know how to support a troubled employee.
The referral screening programme enables organisations to rapidly refer employees experiencing psychological difficulties or distress. Referral screening can be undertaken whenever required.
Typically this programme has been used with employees who are struggling or who are off work with stress or other psychological problems. Organisations using this programme have commented on how the psychological reports provide them with the information they require to make confident decisions on the best way forward.
Although some of the questionnaires in the referral screening are the same as in other screenings (e.g. Anxiety, Depression and Trauma) there are differences in the questionnaires looking at the employee’s skills and capacities in related to their occupation and personal life.
The screening results will indicate if the employee requires an assessment by a Occupational Health Advisor, Counsellor or Psychologist.
Screening sample questions
If you would like to see the type of questions and interface, please try out our demonstration questionnaire.