Why is SEQOHS accreditation important for OH providers?

Why is SEQOHS accreditation important for occupational health providers?

Recently, I’ve had a number of enquiries from occupational health providers wanting to know more about SEQOHS accreditation.

So, in this blog, I’d like to explain why SEQOHS matters, what’s involved, and the likely timescales and costs.

What is SEQOHS?

Occupational health (OH) providers are playing an ever-growing role in the workplace, delivering a wide range of services – from pre-employment health screenings and health surveillance to supporting employees with long-term conditions. This shift reflects not only the requirements of health and safety legislation but also a growing recognition among employers that a fit and healthy workforce drives productivity, profitability, and reputation.

Increasingly, organisations in the public and private sectors are looking for OH providers who can demonstrate external assurance of their services. SEQOHS (Safe Effective Quality Occupational Health Service) accreditation is the nationally recognised industry standard for the occupational health sector. Accreditation gives independent assurance that OH providers meet this industry benchmark for quality and safety standards.

Launched in 2010, the standards are overseen by the Faculty of Occupational Medicine – the professional and educational body for occupational medicine in the UK. These standards are reviewed regularly to reflect legislative changes, new ethical considerations and best practice. The latest review was completed in late 2023 – and the new standards now have a greater focus on outputs.

What are the SEQOHS standards?

SEQOHS is far from just a tick-box exercise. It’s a robust process that examines all aspects of an OH provider’s work, from clinical practice to data handling, ethics and overall service delivery.

The standards are arranged into six categories:

Governance and Finance
Resources and Processes
Output and Outcomes
Information and Communication
Quality Assurance and Improvement
NHS.

The benefits of being a SEQOHS-accredited provider

SEQOHS accreditation is becoming a key marker of quality for occupational health providers, offering:

Independent validation that your services meet recognised industry standards.
Promotion of continuous improvement through benchmarking.
Reassurance for clients that you employ professionally qualified, highly trained staff dedicated to safeguarding employee health.
A powerful badge of quality that strengthens your reputation and builds trust. Accreditation gives you a competitive edge when bidding for contracts.

Eligibility

To be eligible, you need to have provided occupational health services in the UK or Ireland for 12 months or more. The business must have access to a qualified occupational health specialist (either as an employee or through a contractor). In addition, your business must employ a health professional in a leadership role who is a registered practitioner[1] with a recognised OH qualification.

How the SEQOHS process works

There are three main stages to SEQOHS accreditation. Once you’ve registered, you complete a self-assessment exercise, which involves gathering and uploading evidence as well as identifying any gaps. This is followed by readiness checks before an interview with SEQOHS assessors. When you’re notified of the outcome, you’ll receive practical recommendations and, if you’re not successful this time, constructive guidance on the actions you need to take to help you secure accreditation.

Once achieved, SEQOHS accreditation is valid for five years, although providers are required to complete annual self-assessments in the intervening years.

As a SEQOHS-accredited provider, you can use the SEQOHS logo on your website and you’ll also have a listing on the SEQOHS website. Hiring organisations can use the SEQOHS website to search for the OH services they need – which may be exactly what you offer.

The costs

The costs depend on the size of your business and the number of sites you have. There are three bands:

small-handed provider (a sole practitioner with no other clinical/technical staff)
small service (with 1-6 sites)
large service (with 7+ sites).

Indicative costs (as of September 2025) range from £500 to £5300 – depending on which band your business falls into.

The cost includes all elements of accreditation, SEQOHS training sessions, support from the SEQOHS team, annual review checks and feedback, and a listing on the SEQOHS website.

How long will the process take?

This depends on the size/scope of the company, as well as the amount of work your business needs to complete to meet the standards. Typically, however, you can expect the process to take 12 months.

Gathering all the evidence can be a time-consuming process. That’s why OHS providers often hire specialist SEQOHS advisors to support them with this task. SEQOHS advisors bring expert knowledge of how the process works and what assessors are looking for.

How I can help you

With extensive experience as both a healthcare professional and a regulatory compliance specialist, I can guide you through the SEQOHS process and ensure you’re putting in place the necessary preparations. Having managed SEQOHS accreditation in-house for a private healthcare provider, I know the challenges and pitfalls to avoid.

By working together, we can identify and address potential issues before your external assessment, putting corrective measures in place early. I’ll also support you in responding to any actions raised by SEQOHS assessors, helping you achieve a successful outcome.

In summary

SEQOHS accreditation will play an increasingly important role in hiring decisions for occupational health providers. So, accreditation is a worthwhile investment that enhances your reputation as a trusted provider and helps you grow your business.

Getting advice from a SEQOHS advisor at an early stage of the accreditation process can save you time, stress and effort in the long run – and increase your chances of securing accreditation on your first attempt.

Want to find out more about how I can support you through this process? Take a look at my dedicated SEQOHS page for further details. You can also book a free call with me to learn more.

[1] With the GMC, NMC or HCPC