OH Today Volume 31 Issue 2 - 2024

Doing the right things to deliver quality Also in this issue: SCPHN Revalidation | Employee Wellbeing Mental Health & Menopause | A Career in OH Health Promotion | Feature Interview

Partners of OH Today

2

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

CONTENTS

Editor LYNN PRATT Assistant Editor JANET O’NEILL

From the President

4

SEQOHS - Doing the right things to deliver quality

6

Ensuring Competence and Quality Care: Why SCPHN OH Nurses need to revalidate to the New Standards

12

Why organisational reputation rests on employee wellbeing.

An opinion piece.

18

Mental Health and Menopause: A Case Study

26

Progression – A career in OH series Part 1 : Pivoting Professions: A Sport Physiologist's Path into and up in Occupational Health

32

Promoting Health as an Occupational Health Practitioner at the RGU

35

Feature Interview with Tracy Turner

38

Production Editor IAN GARNER

Copyright © iOH 2023 Registered Charity No. 1205635 Published by iOH, The Association of Occupational Health and Wellbeing Professionals

ioh.org.uk

email: admin@ioh.org.uk

Views expressed in OH Today are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of iOH.

Nor does iOH necessarily endorse any of the products or services mentioned or advertised in the publication. ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

3

From the President Lynn Pratt Dear Members, It’s my pleasure to bring you this latest edition of OH Today.

I was reflecting on the recent Health and Wellbeing at Work conference at the NEC and the iOH Ruth Alston Memorial Dinner and lecture with Professor Neil Greenberg. Both events were huge hits, and it was great to connect with lots of new and established members from physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses, doctors and wellbeing professionals. Thank you to our iOH speakers Janet O'Neill , Libby Morley-Hassanali, Mandy Kelly and

We are delighted to welcome new partners PAM Group, Occupational Health and Wellbeing Professionals, OH Staffing, Orchid Live, Gel Resourcing and The University of the West of England. Thank you also to our long standing partners Vitalograph and Cordell Health and Health and Wellbeing at Work . As a registered charity, our generous partnerships help to keep our membership fees low and helps us offer educational grants to

members.

The next iOH webinar on OH Education

presentations. We will be starting to

and Training is on 20 June at 7.30pm

plan for 2025 shortly. Placemark your

and will explore what is available and

diaries for 11 & 12 March 2025.

where we are heading. Book on Eventbrite.

right now. For the nurse members in our

Finally, thank you to those who

group, I would like to highlight that the

completed our iOH member survey. We

Nursing and Midwifery Council have

had a good response and will publish the

decided to proceed with regulating

results shortly. Meanwhile if you would

Advanced Practice (AP) for nurses. They

like to express an interest in behind-the

aim to unite the varying standards of

-scenes support for iOH, please follow

Higher Education Institute programmes

this link and add a little more

and provide clarity to nurses. You can

information.

explore more on the iOH blog here. iOH acknowledges Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s proposal to review the fit note system. As multi-disciplinary and dedicated advocates for employee health

and well-being, we recognise the importance of optimising fit notes to support individuals to remain at and return to ‘good’ work. In this Position

OH TODAY

based perspective on the matter.

Karli Gibson who delivered insightful

There is a lot going on in the OH space

4

Statement, we outline our evidence-

Volume 31 Issue 2

Lynn Pratt, President iOH

www.pamgroup.co.uk/pam-academy

Doing the right things to deliver quality

By Mandy Murphy

W

hen we provide our services to

accreditation scheme set out to support services

purchasers or commissioners of

and commissioners alike to plug this gap in

occupational health (OH), how do

quality and articulate what good occupational

they know that we deliver what we say we do?

health service provision looks like. Since its

How will they know it’s good enough, for their

launch, it rapidly became an integral part of the

employees and their business? Or even how does

OH landscape and widely regarded and accepted

it compare to other services in the industry?

as the recognised standard for the industry.

After a long career in the speciality these

questions still throw up widely varied responses when I ask them.

The scheme has recently been through a major

review, with standards and processes for accreditation under the spotlight and revised to

Employee health and wellbeing is still high on

meet the evolving needs of the speciality and

the business continuity agenda. OH is seen as a

the employment landscape. It was quite an

critical enabler to supporting this agenda, and

undertaking and no stone was left unturned,

even more widely regarded since the pandemic.

ensuring that not only are the standards

And now more than ever we need to be able to

relevant to everybody who delivers OH services

demonstrate that we are relevant, do what we

(from single handed practitioners to large, multi

say we do and deliver value to employers and

-site and commercial providers) but it continues

employees. While the understanding about

to be of value for how the speciality is evolving.

occupational health as a term is widely accepted

A wide number of stakeholders were consulted

these days, there are still gaps in understanding

to consider levels of quality and standards that

of what we do and how we do it, not helped by a

would be expected of us now. The revised

weak evidence base regarding our impact in

scheme was launched in December 2023 and

comparison to other clinical specialities in

the changes have been well received so far.

healthcare.

Provision of OH services in our marketplace has inconsistent approaches and are variable in

What is the SEQOHS Accreditation Scheme?

quality which is why it is crucial to protect the

Before we talk about some of the changes to the

speciality itself and establish strong trust in

scheme, it might be worth recapping on what

those who buy in, commission, and use our

the SEQOHS accreditation scheme is and how it

services.

works.

Since its inception in 2010, the SEQOHS (Safe,

SEQOHS stands for Safe, Effective, Quality

Effective, Quality Occupational Health Services)

Occupational Health Service and is the formal

6

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

7

recognition that an OH service has

and advice offered to OH providers,

demonstrated its competence to deliver

employers and employees. .

services against the criteria set out in the standards. The standards are a recognised industry standard for the elements it is accrediting.

The standards are categorised into 6

The evidence guide, which supports OH services to know what kind of evidence they might include in their selfassessment, also went through a rigorous overhaul, with involvement of key

Domains, where domains 1-5 are applicable to everyone who applies.

Domain 1 is Governance and Leadership, Domain 2 is Resources and Processes,

Domain 3 is Outputs and Outcomes, Domain 4 is Information and Communication and Domain 5 is Quality Assurance and Improvement. Domain 6 is now a sector specific standard with the aim of including specific standards here for different industries, such as NHS which is currently applied in this Domain (6.1).

There are three stages to the process;

application and self-assessment against the criteria, review of the evidence submitted and interview process with two trained assessors from the team.

Accreditation is awarded for 5 years, subject to successfully complying with the criteria of the standards, and with an annual submission to confirm continued compliance with the standards. Services may have actions post accreditation

which are based on industry best practice, and some are formally congratulated for explementary practices in OH.

What has changed or new with the 2023 SEQOHS Scheme?

Firstly, the review set out to enable all providers to demonstrate that they meet accepted standards of occupational

health delivery. To achieve this, the review focused on the key processes and

8

OH TODAY

stakeholders including the NHS and commercial OH providers. It is again set out to support reducing the duplication of effort across the standards and describes examples of suitable evidence to demonstrate fulfilling the criteria of the

standards, with links to national standards where appropriate.

outputs of OH delivery, removed

Perhaps the biggest development in the

duplication and strengthened the support

scheme is the new focus on outputs and

Volume 31 Issue 2

outcomes, most of which can be

demonstrated in Domain 3. This provides an opportunity to measure deliverables and so strengthen the evidence base regarding the value and impact of OH. The criteria in this standard were developed with the evolving needs of the

Dr Robin Cordell, who led the review commented that “the emphasis on outputs and outcomes has built on the original standards, enabling accredited providers to move from not only showing that they are doing things right, but that they are doing the right things.”

This will bring a lot of benefits to accredited services and commissioners alike. We can demonstrate that we do what we say we do and add value. It’s removed what might be seen as a “tick box” approach to standards. The emphasis now is to show the quality of your service rather than saying ‘we have a policy for that’. If you have a policy or procedure, do you know it’s working?

How do you know? Do you evaluate it? What do you do with the results of that review? If you find it’s not working, what would you do to rectify it?

The other intended benefit of moving the emphasis towards outputs and outcomes has also had the effect of making the standards more generic. There is no longer a separate format for occupational physiotherapy services and this supports and reflects the multidisciplinary working nature in occupational health.

There is now a specific Domain 6 for specialised OH services, with the first being an NHS standard, 6.1. This was developed in partnership with NHS Health at Work Network and the Growing OH and Wellbeing Together (OHWB) strategy team. It complements the standards in Domains 1-5, with a directed focus on the

requirements to deliver specific OH services in healthcare. In the future we may add other specialised OH Service provision to this domain, for example for OH delivery to the Police. speciality in mind, and involving

The insider perspective

stakeholders in their development,

I worked in the NHS when our service at the time achieved

including the Health and Safety Executive

SEQOHS accreditation in 2012. I was on the other side of the

(HSE). This was particularly so for the

accreditation process, gathering and uploading evidence. Achieving

new standards 3.1 and 3.2. For example,

accredited status felt like a great accomplishment. The team felt

there is a focus here on how a service

very proud of being able to prove that services we provided then

understands a client’s OH needs and acts

(and the hard work) for our clients was recognised and meets

as a competent person to assist clients to

industry standards - if not exceeding them in places. Not only was

meet their legal obligations for safe

the feedback of meeting the standards hugely powerful, but going

working.

through the process ourselves gave us the opportunity to look at

ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

9

what we did, benchmark against the standard and propel

gives credibility to our ‘raison d'être’ - why we

us to strive forward with our ambitions for OH service

provide OH.

delivery.

• Representation – what we do and how well we do

As someone who has now joined the SEQOHS team, I

it is a representation of who we are as OH. Using

now have the privilege to see the other side, - behind

evidence and outcome measures to guide our

the scenes if you like. I am regularly impressed by the

practice, demonstrating value and competence

level of work and intellectual consideration (lots of

builds trust that as a speciality we are as good as

discussions) that goes in to ensuring the process is

our word.

responsive to the diverse needs of the organisations who go for accreditation, the care and attention of our assessors who at the heart of it all want services to put

their best selves forward and everyone ensuring that safety, effectiveness and quality remains at a level we expect for our speciality.

I make no secret that I have been a cheerleader for SEQOHS Scheme since its inception and now I have been on both sides of the accreditation process, there are four really important factors that this scheme brings to OH. We don’t often talk about them. For me, they are a reminder of the importance of participation in a quality scheme such as SEQOHS:

• Relevance – this is a way we can demonstrate that

• Recruitment – as we reflect out to the world, like a mirror, that we have industry standards, provide

good quality, safe and effective standards of care, we are also attractive to those healthcare workers who hold similar values and want to explore a career in OH. There is no doubt that the more we do to showcase the good work in OH, the more attractive and competitive our speciality is as a career option for many healthcare workers.

The SEQOHS accreditation scheme remains a cornerstone in promoting quality in occupational health and supporting services to demonstrate their value and competence against industry standards. As we embrace the revised scheme, the commitment to

we do what we say we do, we know what matters to

safe, effective, and quality occupational health services

our stakeholders, and a commitment to be closely

is stronger than ever. For both professionals and

connected and appropriate to the evolving needs of

businesses, achieving SEQOHS accreditation is not just

our clients.

a recognition of excellence; it is a testament to the

• Reputation – having spent many years delivering OH services at a commercial level and seeing how good

unwavering dedication to promoting, protecting and supporting the health and well-being of the workforce.

quality OH services have been undercut by

For more information about the SEQOHS accreditation

aggressive cost-cutting bids, this tarnishes the

scheme and process, go to our website: SEQOHS

reputation of OH. Building and maintaining a

(https://www.seqohs.org/)

reputation of good quality OH services – that add real value - is more important than ever. Our reputation among purchasers is one thing, but also our reputation in the wider world of healthcare and as a clinical speciality, working to agreed standards

And if you are interested in joining the assessor team and would like to know more about the role, you can contact Mandy Murphy by email at mandy.murphy@fom.ac.uk

Mandy Murphy | Linkedin Mandy is the SEQOHS Quality Lead for Assessors at the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and is a board director for the Council for Work and Health.

Mandy also runs her own independent business as a Senior Coach Practitioner often supporting career transitions, new leaders and teaching coaching skills to other professional groups and parents.

10

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

Ensuring Competence and Quality Care: Why SCPHN OH Nurses need to revalidate to the New Standards

By Neil Loach University of Derby

T

he Standards for Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (SCPHN) (2022) for Occupational Health (OH) represent a renewed and comprehensive framework that outlines the core competencies and professional behaviours expected of nurse practitioners in a unique and specialised field. These

standards, developed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), provide guidance for Occupational Health Nurses (OHNs) to deliver high-quality leadership and care, to promote health and wellbeing in the workplace.

These new standards build upon the foundation of previous iterations while incorporating updates to reflect the

12

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

evolving landscape of OH practice. They emphasise the importance of evidence-based practice, ethical decisionmaking, and holistic approaches to address the diverse health needs of employees across various industries.

The comprehensive competencies can be found in the standards. All standards are required to be met in practice

to be admitted to the register and confirmed by a Practice Assessor and Academic Assessor. Key components of the SCPHN (2022) standards for OHNs include:-

ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

13

Health Promotion and Prevention:

other stakeholders to promote a

• The promotion of health and well-

for policies and practices that protect

being in the workplace through

the health and well-being of workers,

education, advocacy, and the

promote social justice, and address

implementation of preventive

disparities in OH outcomes.

measures. This involves collaborating with employers and employees to identify health risks, develop tailored interventions, and

foster a culture of health and safety.

Risk Assessment and Management: • Conducting comprehensive risk assessments, sometimes in collaboration with subject matter experts, to identify occupational hazards and mitigate potential health risks. They utilise evidence-

based tools and methodologies to assess workplace environments, evaluate health outcomes, and implement strategies to prevent work -related injuries and illnesses.

Occupational Health Surveillance: • Monitoring and evaluating the health status of employees, identifying

trends and patterns, and implementing surveillance systems to detect emerging health issues.

They collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to collect and analyse data, assess health needs, and develop targeted interventions to address OH concerns.

Collaboration and Advocacy: • Collaborate with employers, employees, regulatory agencies, and

14

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

collaborative approach to occupational health. OHNs advocate

Professional Development and Leadership: • Engage in continuous professional development to enhance their knowledge, skills, and competencies in OH nursing practice. They demonstrate leadership qualities, contribute to the advancement of the profession, and serve as advocates for excellence in occupational health care and delivery of the public health agenda.

Overall, the new SCPHN standards for OHNs underscore the importance of maintaining high standards of competence, professionalism, and ethical practice. By adhering to these standards, OHNs can contribute to creating healthier and safer work environments, improving employee well -being, and promoting public health.

Updating skills and competencies to the new standards is essential for ensuring that OHNs are equipped to meet the evolving needs of public health practice.

The new standards provide a framework to deliver high-quality care and promote health and well-being within communities. Aligning to these standards involves assessing current capabilities, identifying areas for

development, and engaging in continuous professional development, including, but not limited to:

The Nursing a Council (NM update the r process t professional s enhance the q delivered by nurses, inclu specialising in health on Part regis

and Midwifery MC) plan to revalidation to uphold standards and quality of care y registered uding those n occupational t 3 of the NMC ster.

1. Assessment and Health Needs Identification:

simply providing information in

• Strong assessment skills to identify

3. Partnership Working and Collaboration:

the health needs of individuals, families, and communities.

• Competencies such as conducting

different formats.

• The ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams,

comprehensive health assessments,

community organisations, and

utilising appropriate screening tools,

stakeholders to address public health

and analysing data to identify health

challenges.

disparities and priorities.

• Alignment includes proficiency in

• Competencies include building

partnerships, engaging stakeholders,

assessing the health needs of diverse

and advocating for the needs of

populations and employing culturally

communities.

competent approaches to care delivery. Culturally competent care involves taking the individuals beliefs, views, and behaviours into account. This could be as simple as ensuring that religious or spiritual practice is considered during the

period of Ramadan for a worker referred for OH advice.

2. Health Promotion and Education: • Skills in developing and implementing health promotion programs and educational initiatives to empower individuals and communities to improve their health

outcomes.

• Competencies include designing evidence-based interventions, delivering health education sessions, and facilitating behaviour change.

• Alignment with training in health promotion strategies, communication techniques, and health literacy to engage with diverse audiences. Diverse strategies could include those workers who may use different communication techniques or have differing learning needs by

• Alignment involves fostering teamwork, communication skills, and leadership abilities to facilitate effective collaboration and achieve shared goals. This could be in partnership with the work or another health care or safety professional.

4. Policy Development and Advocacy: • Knowledge of public health policies, legislation, and regulations that impact health outcomes and influence health equity.

• Competencies include analysing policy documents, advocating for policy change, and participating in policy development processes.

• Alignment involves providing nurses with opportunities to engage in policy discussions, develop advocacy skills, and advocate for policies that promote health and social justice.

Social Justice is about providing support and policies to transform lives. Incentivising and supporting

positive behaviours within a drug and alcohol policy would be a good example of this.

ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

15

5. Evaluation and Quality Improvement: • Demonstrate proficiency in evaluating the effectiveness of public health interventions, programs, and policies.

principles and evidence their existing or updated

proficiency in key areas such as health promotion, disease prevention, leadership, emerging technologies, risk assessment and the, now too often forgotten, principles of the public health agenda. Through the revalidation process, OHN’s

• Competencies include collecting and analysing

need to reflect on how they have met the standards

data, assessing outcomes, and implementing

in their practice and provide examples of their work

quality improvement initiatives.

that align with these criteria. This ensures that their

• Alignment involves incorporating principles of evaluation and quality improvement into practice,

fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement with research as an integral driver

professional development activities are relevant to their role as specialist practitioners in OH and

contribute to the achievement of new SCPHN outcomes.

of best practice. Ensuring that policies are

Revalidation promotes professional accountability

regularly updated with research that is valid and

and ethical practice by requiring OHN to uphold the

considers the Issues of quality, accuracy,

NMC's (2018b) “The Code” and other relevant

relevance, bias, reputation, and credibility before

professional standards. The revalidation process

adoption into a new policy is essential.

prompts reflection on adherence to ethical

Renewing skills and competencies requires a strategic approach to professional development and training. By assessing current capabilities, identifying areas for growth, and providing opportunities for skill enhancement, nurses can ensure that they meet the requirements of the new SCPHN practice and contribute effectively to population health outcomes.

The significance of revalidation for OHNs in line with the new standards should not be underestimated.

guidelines, consideration of ethical dilemmas encountered in practice, and demonstration of how challenges are addressed while upholding

professional standards. This fosters a culture of accountability, transparency, and ethical decisionmaking , enhancing public trust and confidence in OH practice. Central to revalidation is evidencebased practice, i.e. use of the best available evidence, and research to inform decision-making and enhance the quality of care. OHNs must engage in reflective practice, critically appraise research

For OHNs revalidation is particularly crucial due to

findings, and apply evidence-based interventions to

the dynamic nature of their role. They must stay

optimise health outcomes in the workplace. By

abreast of changing legislation, emerging

integrating this into the revalidation process, OHNs

occupational hazards, and advancements in

should evaluate the effectiveness of their

healthcare to effectively promote a safe and healthy

interventions, identify areas for improvement, and

work environment. Revalidation ensures that these

implement changes to enhance the quality of care

nurses maintain the competencies required to

delivered. This cyclical process of reflection,

address the diverse needs of employees, employers,

evaluation, and improvement aligns with the

and other stakeholders across various industries.

principles of continuous professional development

The SCPHN standards serve as a benchmark for specialist community public health nursing practice,

and ensures that OHNs remain at the forefront of evidence-based practice.

outlining the core competencies and professional

There are challenges and future directions to

behaviours expected of practitioners (Nursing and

consider. While revalidation offers benefits for

Midwifery Council, 2022). Revalidation complements

OHNs, it is not without challenges, especially for

these standards by providing a mechanism for OHNs

those unfamiliar with the requirements of the new

to demonstrate their adherence to SCPHN OH

standards Practitioners may find the revalidation

16

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

requirements time-consuming or resource-

would help to facilitate the barriers to successful

intensive, particularly those working in busy

adaption of the new skills and competencies that are

clinical settings or remote locations. It may be

required.

challenging for those that are employed purely in case management when the focus of their

In conclusion

role does not encompass all the areas of

Revalidation plays a critical role in maintaining the

proficiency.

competence, professionalism, and quality of care

Consequently, there is a need to integrate revalidation into the professional development pathways for OHNs and explore innovative approaches to facilitate the process.

Leveraging technology, peer support networks, and collaborative learning platforms can enhance engagement and participation in revalidation activities, ensuring that everyone can demonstrate their competence and commitment to high-quality care. Forming a

delivered by OHNs in line with the 2022 NMC SCPHN standards. By engaging in reflective practice, evidence-based learning, and ethical decisionmaking, nurses can demonstrate their ongoing

commitment to professional development and uphold the trust and confidence of the public. Moving forward, it is essential to address the challenges associated with revalidation and continue to support nurses in meeting the evolving needs of occupational health practice.

Community of Practice (CoP) within a locality

References Nursing and Midwifery Council. (2022). Standards of proficiency for specialist community public health nurses.

Available at: https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/standards-for-post-registration/standards-of-proficiency-forspecialist-community-public-health-nurses2/ (Accessed: 30 April 2024) Nursing and Midwifery Council. (2018a). Revalidation. Available at: https://www.nmc.org.uk/revalidation/ (Accessed: 30 April 2024) Nursing & Midwifery Council. (2018b). The Code. Available at: https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/code/ (Accessed: 30 April 2024)

Neil Loach, FHEA, FRSPH Senior Lecturer, University of Derby Neil is the Immediate Past President of iOH. He was on the NMC working group for the new SCPHN Standards. He is the Pathway Lead for Occupational Health at the University of Derby on the SCPHN OH Programme. He is an experienced lecturer across both pre and post registration nursing disciplines. He is the current Programme Leader for the PG Cert in Leading Interprofessional Practice Education Programme. This is an online course for Practice Educators to become skilled and proficient in leading all aspects of practice education, including, learning, teaching, assessment, and building & leading quality driven curricula fit for an interprofessional audience. There is also an apprenticeship version of this for any interested parties.

ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

17

Why organisational reputation rests on employee wellbeing.

An opinion piece.

By Suzanne Clarkson

I

t’s my belief, after 20+ years

behaviour). This is an essential,

working in reputation

evidenced, precursor to wellbeing that

management, that an

remains so painfully misunderstood in

organisation’s reputation largely rests

organisations (admittedly not helped by

on the wellbeing of its people. Not on

academics that keep coming up with

expensive advertising and marketing

different definitions).

campaigns or glossy company reports full of bold statements. The wellbeing I’m talking about is the kind that comes from a sense of satisfaction, purpose and belonging, in other words, culture!

Alongside are benefits, interventions, Human Resource (HR) policy and risk management practices.

interventions, campaigns, training & workshops, policy & practice, employee experience & engagement, diversity equity and inclusion tend to be managed in isolation, from top down, and often

benefit of people and, from there, for

traditional ‘command and control’

business. People first.

structure of most traditional

family, potential future employees, and customers if they’re happy, healthy, and

organisations.

Culture: Reputational and so much more

thriving. And of course, the opposite if

There’s growing evidence, over recent

they’re not happy, healthy, and thriving.

years, from the likes of the National

Wellbeing is a crucial long-term business value driver and, therefore deserves a permanent, high-level, place on the Board agenda. This can be achieved by ensuring wellbeing forms the foundation of the Environmental

Institute for Health & Care Excellence and the University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, that the key to employee wellbeing is getting the foundations (the culture) right first and foremost.

Social Governance (ESG) strategy, or,

It is culture that will lead to

the latest term, Human Sustainability.

recruitment. People trust other people

To an extent, labels don’t matter. They

when deciding where to work. And if

often serve to just confuse matters and

people are happy, healthy, and thriving,

dilute important, complex matters down

they’ll share that.

to a set of standardised frameworks and common metrics, but that’s one to explore another day!

It is the culture that will retain a diverse workforce. People love the feelings of satisfaction and inclusion that come

What matters is that wellbeing is

from feeling heard, working in a

considered essential, as opposed to a

supportive team and for a great purpose.

nice to have.

OH TODAY

considered in isolation. Benefits,

by different functions. This reflects the

things to each other, peers, friends,

20

that wellbeing doesn’t work when it’s

Everything works together for the

It is simple. Employees will say good

What matters is that wellbeing is considered essential, as opposed to a nice to have.

There’s now a growing understanding

And it is culture that’ll pave the way for

That arguably won’t be achieved in its

working and training differently,

current siloed format; a format that

meeting the changing needs of different

often ends up detached from employee

generations in the workforce and

engagement (also called culture or

recovering business productivity.

Volume 31 Issue 2

Behaviours create culture, not the other way around.

Balancing ‘do no harm’ with ‘actively do good’

So why, despite all the investment into

cultural aspects are arguably largely

The behavioural, bottom-up, and

wellbeing, training and development, diversity equity inclusion (DEI) aren’t we moving the needle on culture?

I argue it is because it is all top-down.

The removal of the negative, the risks, and the application of top-down policies and practices are all necessary (especially for preventing and reducing ill-health) but they don’t naturally bring about positive feelings and functioning.

I.e., they don’t naturally bring about wellbeing. movements. This is how real change comes about / how culture change

comes about, from the bottom up. The grassroots. Get the foundations, the culture right and the return on

trend towards mental wellbeing sitting in Occupational Health & Safety, under the catch-all term for both mental illness and mental wellbeing, namely

psychosocial risk. There needs to be a better balance here. Wellbeing isn’t only about the absence of the negative, e.g. high workloads, evidence suggests it’s more correctly defined as the presence of positive feelings and functioning. management world, with the emergence of Positive Organisational Psychology (POP). However, even with POP,

interventions are still arguably very topdown, heavily leaning towards things like workshops, wellness audits and

investment by organisations into everything wellbeing-related might be realised.

promises from leadership to staff about the perks of working at a job (otherwise known as the Employer Value

I’ve learnt from Dr Leandro Herrero, Author, Founder of Viral Change

and

Chief Organisational Architect/CEO at The Chalfont Project, that the outputs

needed to create authentic and lasting cultural change are all linked to injecting the right behavioural inputs into the system. Dr Herrero designed to help deliver large-

scale, sustainable, behavioural, and cultural change. This is based on the science of social movements; change from the bottom-up. It involves five principles: non-negotiable behaviours;

peer-to-peer influence; informal social networks; storytelling; and backstage leadership.

For example, there seems a current

This is recognised in the risk

Social copying, mirroring, social

Viral Change

missing from the wellbeing equation.

Proposition).

Academics all appear to play in their lane, just like business functions! I think if the psychologists got together with

those in the know about what employee engagement is (a state of being – see this really insightful paper

by Gifford & Young (2021) for the CIPD), how it comes about (employee contribution and challenge is a huge factor), and the outcomes that can be achieved (one of those being wellbeing), then all of this would be a completely different story. Thankfully there are

some pockets of interconnected thinking out there in academia . But they’ve yet to make their way into business thinking and practice. ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

21

For example, the quote below by Schaufeli et al (2004) evidences that work meets important psychosocial and

wellbeing needs. But not just any work. They’re talking here about “good work” – an environment where people can thrive. And that’s all about culture, behaviours, and engagement. It is a strong argument for balancing ‘do no harm’ with ‘actively do good’. One that requires good cross-discipline collaboration.

“The fact that burnout and engagement exhibit different patterns and possible causes and consequences implies that different intervention strategies should be used when burnout is to be reduced or engagement is to be enhanced.”

Meanwhile, Anthony-McMann (2014) found that a sense of teamwork and camaraderie can even help tackle

workplace stress. A focus only on ‘removing the risk’ or on applying top-down interventions, would arguably miss the vital importance of employee engagement here. In other words, culture.

“The relationship between workplace stress and positive, interpersonal relationships at work (both a foundational aspect of employee engagement and a job resource) may also exhibit positive tendencies because, in the face of workplace stress, such interpersonal relationships can foster both camaraderie and a sense of shared experience leading to the positive effect of having accomplished something together” Culture, engagement, and wellbeing are completely interrelated. Culture provides the place where engagement

happens. Wellbeing is an outcome of engagement, if you follow the thinking from academia, and not just from the engagement survey providers who’ve ended up making employee engagement an end, as opposed to a state of being.

Finally, I’m not suggesting that top-down values, edicts, policies, practices and risk management no longer have a place. What I’m saying is that all that needs to be better balanced with bottom-up behavioural change. As humans, we have an inbuilt instinct to copy and mirror the behaviour of others, people like us, and those who influence us. It’s how we form relationships, form opinions, make decisions, and change our behaviour. All of that simply doesn’t happen through being told what to do and how to behave by leaders. Neither does it happen through appraisals, workshops, training, reward, and recognition systems, not in any real or sustainable way.

By Suzanne Clarkson, Managing Director at Coach House Communications and Partner at The Chalfont Project. Masters in Internal Communication, Communication specialist. Reputation management | S in ESG | Employee Wellbeing

Suzanne is a communication specialist with 25 years of experience across internal and external communication disciplines. She is on a mission to help employers better understand their people, translating insights into strategy, action and measures that encourage joined up thinking on employee engagement, wellbeing, DEI and ESG. And, crucially, all this in a way that works for people and businesses.

22

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

EOPH is here to support the professional development needs of the occupational knowledge and insights with easy access to subject matter experts for their advice Further information : EOPH – Educatio

24

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

l health profession. Our objective is to build a community of best practice, sharing designed for occupational health professionals, by occupational health professionals on for Occupational and Public Health

ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

25

Mental Health and Me A Case Study

By Rachel Martin

M

enopause is a natural part of ageing that usually occurs between 45 and 55 years, as oestrogen levels decline, and can include symptoms of hot flushes, night sweats, difficulty sleeping, low mood or anxiety and problems with memory and concentration. Perimenopause is the natural transition into

menopause and can present as early as the mid-thirties, with symptoms having a significant impact (NHS, 2022).

“Surgical menopause” (BMS, 2021), where both ovaries are removed, and certain medication treatments for endometriosis (NHS, 2022), can cause a sudden oestrogen deficiency with associated symptoms.

These hormonal changes can cause mood swings, low mood and anxiety, sometimes making underlying mental health conditions worse (Mental Health Foundation, 2021), and can be the first signs of menopause.

Occupational Health (OH) Case Study: I received a referral for an employee, working as an administrator in the healthcare sector, with anxiety, low mood, and management concerns at work. Janis (not her real name) had been struggling at work due to overwhelming anxiety and low mood for several months, finding it had reached a crescendo. Upon seeing her GP,

26

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

ill-health or anxiety. She felt she was not able to control her

symptoms. The consultation included a clinical, functional, and biopsychosocial history. A menopause rating scale (MRS) and mental health assessment were completed. The history, plus

enopause:

assessments and age consideration, indicated her symptoms may be related to a hormonal imbalance associated with menopause.

According to the Menopause Charity (2021) low mood, anxiety, or mood swings can occur during perimenopause and menopause and can commonly be misdiagnosed as depression. It can take up to three years to receive a correct diagnosis when women attend their GP after experiencing low mood or

heightened emotions. Evidence that SSRIs effectively ease menopause-related symptoms is limited, with the BMS (2018) indicating that there is less than a 50% benefit, which may be why Janis had not noted any improvement.

Validated assessment tools are useful within OH to help identify self-reported symptoms, which we can marry with the biopsychosocial and functional history and relate to work and also assist with understanding the clinical history and supporting appropriate signposting, such as to a GP, who will be familiar with them.

The MRS was developed as a self-assessment tool to evaluate symptoms (Heinemann et al. 2004) and is evidenced as a highquality scale that assesses the severity of symptoms. The MRS has further proven to demonstrate excellent reliability and validity following a worldwide and historic study, including in Serbia (Gazibara et al., 2015), Persia (Jahangiry et al., 2020), and India (Rathnayake et al., 2018; Ramya and Radhika, 2020).

However, Chou et al. (2014) consider that the MRS does not provide a high sensitivity in detecting impaired quality of life.

Despite this latter argument, the evidence for use is impelling,

she was prescribed a selective serotonin

especially in OH where we need to understand the severity of

reuptake inhibitor for mood and after

symptoms to marry with the tasks within work.

disclosing to her manager, was referred to Occupational Health (OH).

Saunders et al (2023) identify the evidence-based, 9-item patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) and 7-item generalised anxiety

It is important within OH, to have an

disorder scale (GAD-7) as routine tools used in clinical practice

underpinning knowledge of menopause

to measure mental health. Pranckeviciene et al. (2022) believe

when undertaking case management

the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 assessment has sufficient psychometric

referrals to support the employee and

properties, however, due to reduced specificity and high ‘false

the manager.

positive’ values, it’s clinical value as a diagnostic tool is limited.

During the management referral, Janis

They support their uses as an initial screening tool to recognise

presented as upset and explained she

individuals with increased mental disorders, which is how the

had never experienced anything like

tool is used within OH.

this before and had no history of mental

According to Baral and Kaphle (2023) there is a requirement to

ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

27

pay proper attention to factors including

outcomes from the OH review along with

smoking, alcohol use, and physical

the completed MRS with her GP. It is

activity, to improve the health of

common for OH to encourage individuals to

menopausal women and this is supported

share the OH report with their GP as that

by Ezzatvar et al. (2021) who also

helps to close the triangle of care.

demonstrated that lifestyle factors can influence workability.

work. These included flexible working, the

discussed, and guidance was given to

ability to adopt comfort breaks when she

support Janis’ wellbeing. Exercise and

felt her symptoms were affecting her

nutrition are of utmost importance due to

significantly, time off to attend medical

menopause-related health problems

appointments, managerial support through

including osteoporosis, weight gain and

regular one-to-ones, reducing her workload

cardiovascular disease. Declining levels of

to account for the impact of her symptoms,

oestrogen levels during menopause, result

and use of the Wellness Action Plan (WAP)

in quicker absorption of bone minerals and

to identify triggers to mental ill-health, and

can reduce bone density. Regular exercise

strategies to manage this, as far as

can slow the loss of muscle mass, common

practicable.

from falls, a risk which is increased with a reduction in bone minerals.

WAPs are evidence-based (Peterson et al.

(2021) and provide a structured approach to managing mental ill-health and can

Lower levels of oestrogen can increase the

support employee retention. A small study

risk of heart disease, and exercise can

(Onley and Emery-Flores, 2017) identified

support heart health by controlling blood

that WAPs provide a positive attitude to

pressure and maintaining cholesterol.

recovery by promoting hopefulness,

Exercise also plays a key role in supporting

awareness of early warning signs and

mental wellness, by reducing stress,

triggers, and a plan for dealing with

increasing energy levels and motivation,

symptoms. WAPs support employees to

and providing a general lift in mood.

take ownership of their symptoms, enabling

Eating a healthy diet, combined with

accountability for health by increasing

regular exercise, can help to reduce

insight.

menopausal symptoms. Smoking can increase the severity and frequency of hot flushes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and alcohol use is linked to appetite stimulation, weight gain, and disrupted sleep.

Research indicates that one in ten employed women leave their jobs during menopause due to the severity of their symptoms (The Fawcett Society, 2022). 44% of women identified that reduced concentration, confidence, memory, and

Sleep and awake times, regulated by

hot flushes had affected their work and led

hormones can be disrupted, therefore

to reduced job satisfaction, lower

adopting regular bedtimes and wake-up

productivity, and time management issues.

times creates a consistent bedtime routine.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act

Janis was signposted to a resource pack for menopause which I had developed (see appendix) and advised to discuss the

OH TODAY

Janis, to support sustained attendance at

During the consultation, lifestyle was

during ageing, reducing risks of fractures

28

Potential adjustments were discussed with

Volume 31 Issue 2

(1974) identifies the employer's responsibility for the health and safety of all staff. For employees affected by

menopause, this includes ensuring their symptoms are not made

Several very influential bodies provide

worse by the workplace and making changes to support

advice on the menopause. The

employees in managing their symptoms whilst conducting their

Government (2022) acknowledge the

working role (Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM) 2016;

significant impact menopause can have

ACAS, 2022).

on physical and mental health, workplace participation and personal relationships. ACAS (2022)

A risk assessment to address workplace influences that exacerbate symptoms could include temperature and ventilation of the workplace, the material and fit of any required uniforms; suitable areas to rest such as access to a quiet room; ease of access to toilet facilities; availability of cold drinking water and managerial and supervisorial training on health and safety issues relating to menopause.

recommendations include offering employee assistance programmes (EAP), menopause “champions”, developing a menopause policy, raising

awareness and other practical workplace adjustments.

Regular conversations to understand employee needs are advised alongside consideration of how the employee's job and associated responsibilities can pose challenges when dealing with menopausal symptoms. In Janis’ case, for example, long shifts and being unable to access facilities regularly were

problematic. Developing training can empower managers to feel more confident to talk with employees about menopausal effects on work and provide

Better working environments are linked with better health.

Establishing interventions that create a systematic approach to

a level of understanding of how the law relates to menopause.

support the employee and improve workplace design,

The involvement of OH can assist the

organisation, and workplace management is important (Society

employee to better understand and

of Occupational Medicine, 2023). By instilling preventative

manage their own health. The use of

interventions, the employer can identify and remove or reduce

well-validated assessment tools,

the effects of the potential risk of exacerbating symptoms.

signposting to relevant resources,

Supportive and restorative interventions for the employee

support and provision of advice can

facilitate self-care and empowerment, mitigate the effects of

empower individuals to become an

poor working environments, and focus on rehabilitation for

expert patient. Advice employers

workers struggling with their mental health and so embrace a

receive on how the health of their

systematic and holistic approach.

employees can affect their work, how

Menopause is not a protected characteristic within the Equality Act (2010) however, there is the potential to fall within a combination of the protected characteristics; age, sex and disability. Cases such as Best v Embark on Raw Ltd, Rooney v

Leicester City Council and Lynskey v Direct Line demonstrate the possibility of being considered disabled within the Equality Act (2010).

work can impact them and what support could help, can be an invaluable insight and tool in people management. OH can help improve employee relations and

understanding which in turn improves morale. OH sits in a vital and honoured role, making a difference.

ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

29

Menopause Website Resources Women’s Health Concern (WHC)

Provides a confidential, independent service to advi

Menopause Matters

An independent website providing information abou

during and after menopause, what the consequences The Daisy Network

A charity for women with premature ovarian insuffic

The British Menopause Society (BMS)

A specialist authority for menopause and post repro

on menopause and all aspects of post reproductive h Queer Menopause Resources

A group of queer, trans and non-binary folks workin stream menopause education and information.

Books Kate Muir (2022)

Davina McCall with Dr Naomi Potter

Dr Louise Newson (2021)

Preparing for the Perimenopause and Menopause

Davina McCall with Dr Naomi Potter (2022)

Menopausing: the positive roadmap to your second

Work Support NHS England

A guide for NHS organisations, line managers and th

Supporting our NHS people through menopause: gu ACAS

Managing Menopause at Work

FOM

Guidance on menopause and workplace links:

http://www.fom.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/Guidanc

Factsheets NICE

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23 (expected p

NICE

https://www.nice.org.uk/news/article/nice-sets-out-

WHO

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/

Rachel Martin | Linkedin

Rachel Martin is an RGN, qualifying in 2007. She moved in remained. She values the knowledge and skills gained w gained a first. She is passionate about health promotion, effects of work on health and health on work. Caring, com her toes and she enjoys dog walks. Rachel is a strong bel

30

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

e Resource Description

ise, inform and reassure women about their gynaecological, sexual, and post-reproductive health

ut menopause, menopausal symptoms, and treatment options. Includes information on what happens leading up to,

s can be, what you can do to help and what treatments are available.

ciency (POI) causing early menopause.

oductive health in the UK educating and guiding healthcare professionals, working in both primary and secondary care,

health.’

ng to make menopause resources more inclusive and relevant to LGBTQIA+ people, who are generally left out of main-

spring

hose working in the NHS to understand menopause and support flexible working.

uidance for line managers and colleagues

ce-on-menopause-and-the-workplace-v6.pdf

publication updated February 2024)

-further-details-on-menopause-guideline-update

/menopause

nto Occupational Health 3 years ago, joining PAM OH with whom she has within this time along with the support in obtaining her BSc in OH, for which , empowerment and knowledge for employees and employers regarding the mpassionate and hardworking, she has three young children who keep her on liever that work is good for health!

ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

31

Progression – A career in OH series Part 1

Pivoting Professions: A Sport Physiologist's Path into and up in Occupational Health

By Laura Jordan

Laura Jordan is Commercial Director at PAM Wellness, part of PAM Group, and has chartered a remarkable trajectory within the workplace health and wellbeing industry. From beginning a role in professional sport, to her current position as trailblazer in the wellbeing industry, Laura’s journey is one of determination and unwavering commitment to improving employee health and wellbeing and showcases how a degree in Sports Science can land you in Occupational Health!

The Early Years: Building Foundations

completed an Accreditation with the British

Fresh out of the University of Chester, and armed

Scientist. These experiences were a pivotal time,

with a master’s degree in Sports Physiology, I

laying the foundation for future endeavours in the

started my journey by volunteering as an Assistant

field.

Sport Scientist with the England Handball Association, supporting young and upcoming athletes…far from the world of Occupational Health!

Initially, I thought that I would have a career within professional sport, so I spent three years working with the England Handball squad, alongside two years supporting rugby league team, Warrington Wolves. I volunteered during both my undergraduate and post-graduate studying and I honed my skills as an applied practitioner and 32

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences in Physiological Support and became a Chartered

Top tip: I was fortunate that I had a lot of applied experiences available to me during my studies. For me, it was important that I could apply the theory that I had been taught to different athletes; so, for anyone currently studying, my top tip would be to

get as much experience as you can under your belt.

Say yes to opportunities you’re presented with, certainly at the start of your career…even if it does sidestep into a different field!

Swapping Sports Jersey’s for Stethoscopes

i.e. how can we support someone’s health and

In May 2014, I joined Nuffield Health, a leading

name but a few, whilst still trying to reduce disease

name in the health and wellbeing industry, and

risk and improve overall health. Often, the role of

began applying my practical skills from university

a health and wellbeing physiologist within

by delivering health screening, workshops and

occupational health can be overlooked, but our

health promotion events, as a Health & Wellbeing

focus is on prevention rather than cure, and aiding

Physiologist. I changed direction from sport to

employees with the tools to take ownership of

public health after seeing a job advert for a

their health, through their lifestyle so there truly is

Physiologist and decided to try my hand with the

a place for this role within the realms of

‘general population’. Here, I completed a Level 7

occupational health. Employee health is so much

Advanced Professional Diploma in Health &

more impactful when it’s viewed from all angles

Wellbeing Physiology; learnt how to conduct and

and by working closely with colleagues across

read electrocardiograms; discovered how to run a

multiple disciplines including occupational health,

pathology laboratory and conduct in-house testing,

as well as psychological services, employee

and became familiar with audits with the Care

assistance programmes and neurodiversity

Quality Commission (CQC). Working alongside

solutions.

Health Assessment Doctor’s and GPs was a great privilege in understanding corporate health and

return to work through their nutrition, physical activity, stress management and sleep hygiene, to

Innovation and Impact

wellbeing, and allowed me to support one of the

One of the hallmarks of my career with PAM

UK’s supermarket giants with their provision of

Wellness has been the agility and freedom to be

health and wellbeing support for colleagues.

creative and innovative with wellness

Rising Through the Ranks at PAM Wellness

programming, and being able to champion

After two and a half years with Nuffield, I joined

stress management.

PAM Wellness, part of PAM Group, known for its

1. Projects: One of my favourite projects has

holistic approach to complete occupational health (OH) and wellbeing provision. I joined the business in a team of two, and a Health & Wellness Expert

covering the South of England and support PAM’s clients with proactive health and wellbeing support which included delivering workshops, webinars, and health screening. This was my first time working with a multidisciplinary occupational health team… in fact, my first time working in occupational health at all! It was interesting to learn about workplace health and the role of OHA’s (Advisors), OHN’s (Nurses), OHT’s (Technicians) and OHP’s (physicians), but to also begin shaping how OH and physiology could work together. As a Physiologist, we’re skilled in screening to determine one’s health and wellbeing status, but then trained in motivational interviewing and lifestyle prescription

strategies that are not just aimed at improving physical fitness, but also mental wellbeing and

been developing, training and embedding Mental Health Champions for a Government Department – over 1200 Champions were

trained when this project was rolled out in 2018 -2020, starting in the Northeast, and then being widely recognised across England.

2. Awards: In 2022, the our Wellness Team at PAM achieved the ‘Wellbeing Initiative of the Year’ Workplace Saving & Benefits Award for the implementation of DNA and epigenetics screening. This advanced testing allowed the team and I to take health screening one step further by truly analysing the blueprint of employee health by assessing their biological versus their chronological age, and addressing how the environment and individual’s lifestyle can change our DNA. This could also be an ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

33

exciting development and the next frontier in

in Corporate Health with wider colleagues in

occupational health and wellbeing.

psychological and neurodiversity solution business

3. Speaking: I also enjoy presenting and

units.

delivering webinars for PAM Wellness and PAM

Following a successful internal training course, I

Group, both single-handedly and with other

have recently started implementing the PAM

disciplines to showcase the efficacy of health and

Elevate Programme – a career pathway designed to

wellbeing physiology more widely across the

attract, retain, and grow PAM’s people right across

industry. Most recent examples include:

the business, and help them not only progress

a. A framework for upskilling managers to support wellbeing with Janet O’Neill (PAM Occupational

Health); b. Reducing the impact of ‘toxic masculinity’ on men’s health with Kathy Cox (PAM Occupational Health), Janet O’Neill (PAM Occupational Health) and Lisa Allan (PAM Occupational Health); c. The Stress-DNA Connection: the Link Between Stress and Our Genetic Makeup

within their own roles, but understand how they can grow within other disciplines. I truly believe that if you look after your employees, they’ll look after your clients (thanks for the quote, Richard Branson!), so this programme aims to show a genuine commitment to supporting employees reach their full potential and excel in their own roles.

In conclusion, I’ve been fortunate to land a career at PAM Wellness and showcase how physiology

Mentoring the Next Generation of Health & Wellness Experts

and occupational health can genuinely make a

Beyond my personal achievements, I am deeply

different disciplines collide their expertise and

committed to nurturing talent within the

passion, great things happen in the space of

organisation and supporting other Physiologists

employee wellbeing!

difference to employee health and drive proactive workplace wellbeing. When passionate people from

with a career in Occupational Health. PAM Wellness started as a Team of two, and now has 20 clinicians

Laura Jordan | Linkedin Laura Jordan is Commercial Director of PAM Wellness, BASES Physiologist; Chartered Scientist; FRSPH with many years of experience in the world of Occupational Health and Wellbeing.

34

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

Promoting Health as an Occupational Health Practitioner at the RGU

By Lynda M Bruce

L

ike many OHP (Occupational Health

working environment (Slaney, 1985) . Nearly 30

Practitioners), I have been educated to

years later maybe the main change is the

look for opportunities to offer health

name.

promotion to clients. But while in my professional practice I have had many opportunities to offer health promoting information and activities on a one-to-one basis there have been few opportunities to practice this on a grand scale.

I also have a part-time role as a lecturer in Occupational Health in the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedic Practice at RGU (Robert Gordon University). RGU is in Aberdeen and has 16,500 students. In the summer of 2023 the Dean, Professor Susan

I started my training in Occupational Health in

Dawkes offered me the opportunity to increase

1985 and our main text at that time spoke

my hours by one day a week to follow-up and

about Health Education as being defined as

develop well-being health-promoting activities

educating the employee, employer, and trade

to support the wider healthy university

unions in all aspects of health, to enable each

initiatives. This article is about these events

to protect their colleagues optimum physical and mental wellbeing and to ensure a safe

ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

35

and the benefits derived from such activities.

We selected health promoting topics and offered them to our students, staff and contractors and other people visiting the campus including residents in the local community. We decided to deliver the topics on campus utilising the skills of our students, supervised, and facilitated by academic staff who are also qualified healthcare professionals.

University) student’s union and the hours are

then logged onto their HEAR (Higher Education Report) records which allows future employers to see the added extracurricular activities to which they have contributed. The students can also print off a certificate as proof of volunteering which is useful as a supporting document within their résumé.

The students have enjoyed taking part in the

Nursing students have the added benefit of being able to achieve recorded practice hours for the time spent learning about the health promoting topic and then supporting the activities. All student volunteers can log their hours annually with the RGU (Robert Gordon

events and their feedback has been positive and joyful saying their wish to contribute further. We

have been well supported by the Students Union, Grampian NHS resources, the NHS Grampian Public Health Team and RGU Sport. The active help, support and encouragement from the Dean and other staff members has been magnificent

ensuring success.

September

World Heart Day-teaching CPR and Choking first aid as well as using a static bike from RGU Sport for a riding challenge. The footfall was high- about eight hundred people and we had prizes donated by the British Heart Foundation for the winners of our competitions in two categories-most effective at CPR, and how far can you travel in five minutes on the static bike.

October

Sexual Health event where we issued a lot of advice and information as well as free condoms and other gifts and we achieved a footfall of around one thousand.

November

Book Harvest - a fabulous scheme where our academic staff donate books (no longer needed) to a local charity who come on site for a day to collect and then redistribute the textbooks to our students and then donate the remaining books to overseas charities. In 2023 the remaining books were scheduled to go to the libraries of Sri Lanka but in addition some nine hundred books were issued to students who were passing by.

November

Blood borne virus testing - seven nursing students supported two NHS Public Health nurses and we collected samples of blood from ninety-three candidates who elected to be tested. For interest there were twenty new HIV diagnoses in Grampian in 2023 (compared to 14 in 2022). As part of our on-site testing process some Hep B core antibody positives were found which then needed further investigation. Clearly early identification and treatment is beneficial.

December

Alcohol Awareness event -This was a pre-Christmas event designed to ensure that all attendees could enjoy safe Christmas outings. The students Union gave us drink spiker test cards to distribute and the local Health Promotion unit lent us Beer Goggles-which change your view of the world completely and make walking a straight line impossible! We had fun and a footfall of 200-300.

March

Sleep Friendly Campus- we were incredibly lucky that a local furniture company delivered a lovely comfortable bed for the day with two advisers. Many people got advice about the best bed to have, and we also issued advice and resources around effective sleeping and good exercise. We distributed walking/cycling maps of the local areas. The footfall was about six hundred.

Planned next

36

Wellbeing event-Students to see other students, staff, contractors, and site visitors for mini health check including blood pressure and other measurements with referral to GP (General Practitioner) if needed.

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

I can honestly say I have thoroughly enjoyed the activities. The response from the students has been inspiration-

al. The students have told me how much they have appreciated the events and how it has helped their confidence and their ability to engage in the challenges that come with ongoing practice. My colleagues have been supportive and generous with their time and have enjoyed a different sort of interaction with the students. I would recommend these types of activities to any OHP in any work area as an opportunity to promote our values and engender good feelings in all. I would be happy to provide further information or detail if this would help anyone.

References Slaney, B. (1985) Occupational Health Nursing. Croom Helm Lynda M Bruce

Lynda M Bruce RN, Specialist Community Public Health NurseOccupational Health Fellow of Royal Society of Public Health Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy: PR100918. NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) Pin Number: 70l4237E

Upcoming iOH Webinar

Visit the iOH website for more webinars ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

37

The Interview Feature Interview with Tracy Turner iOH Director of Professional Development, Janet O’Neill, caught up with Tracy Turner to find out about her journey into an independent OH business owner.

How did you land in OH? After my nurse training in 1981, I worked in theatres, A&E, and ITU. The demanding schedule of night shifts did not fit well with my responsibilities as a mother and therefore I looked for an alternate role. Occupational Health (OH) seemed a good fit and I started a role in

the NHS in 2006. I wanted to undertake the Specialist Community Public Health Nurse certification (SCPHN) in OH but there wasn’t an option for funding. A move to a private OH company offered a higher salary therefore enabling me to self-fund the University of the West of Scotland course.

38

OH TODAY

alongside work and mothering duties. I was delighted when I completed the course with a distinction in 2009.

How did the curse help you?

Once qualified, I was presented with numerous opportunities for exciting roles and was able to gain a diverse range of knowledge and experience.

What made you take the plunge as an independent practitioner?

I was working in a senior leadership position at a large occupational health company. The extensive travel and long hours were taking a toll on my well-

How tough was the course?

being. As a result, I decided to retire.

At that time, it was 18 months long and

However, after a week, I realised I still

included double modules in the second

had a passion for working and wanted to

year. Studying was challenging,

continue gaining knowledge and

Volume 31 Issue 2

experience, which led to registering my

which helped to build trust and strong

own Tracy Turner Ltd. Company. I had

relationships.

the freedom to choose my own projects and work on my own terms. This allowed me to thrive and find fulfilment in my career once again.

How did you go about setting up independently?

I built relationships with colleagues on Face Book, LinkedIn, and other OH

companies. I joined iOH and the Society of Occupational Health Medicine (SOM) to help with networking. By taking on contracted work for other OH companies, I gained experience in

Following Covid, we began to further expand and diversify our services. My son’s training in ear wax micro suction and foot care has allowed us to offer these services to the community and I now employ my daughter-in-law too.

We have since changed the business name from Tracy Turner Ltd to Turners' Occupational Health. Increasing work led to the need for an administration team and business administration apprenticeships and for one, a promotion.

different ways of working and expanded

To meet demand, we employed and

my skills. This enabled me to find her

funded the training of an OH technician

unique way of working, which I believe

and DSE Assessor. We have expanded

has led to the growth and success of the

our OH team with a SCPHN-qualified

business.

and a diploma-qualified nurse. More

Any snags along the way

recently we have employed a clinician who we are supporting through the back

We have faced some real challenges

to nursing course. It is a great feeling to

such as a scam, a costly refurbishment,

be able to support our employees to

and the Covid pandemic, but we

grow and develop.

overcome them with IT investment, resilience, and innovation which have paid off.

How has the business grown?

At the initial stages, investing in a website and advertising services via

In February 2024, we obtained the prestigious SEQOHS (Safe Effective Quality Occupational Health Service) accreditation. It has ensured policies are in place to provide a professional and

supportive environment for both staff and clients.

LinkedIn helped me to attract clients. As

What are your next steps?

our clients grew, so did the need for me

We are moving to larger premises and

to deliver new services. First substance abuse testing, which enabled me to bring my son into the business, and then the need to carry out safety-critical health assessments. This meant investing in office space! Having a

physical office provided a more

plan to increase our range of services to Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training, Emergency First Aid, counselling, and physiotherapy. A far greater offering to our clients and community.

professional image to clients and allowed for face-to-face meetings,

ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

39

What have you learnt?

By diversifying services, employing, and training new staff, and obtaining the prestigious SEQOHS accreditation I have learned the importance of investing in and taking care of staff, training and keeping up with evidence-based practice, and prioritising working with local businesses.

Retirement is in the distant future, and I look forward to seeing how the Turners Team evolves in the coming years.

Tracy Turner | Linkedin Tracy is Clinical Director and Business Owner of Turners Occupational Health. She commenced her nursing career in 1981 working in theatres, ITU and A&E before specialising in Occupational Health in 2009 gaining a degree in Specialist Community Public Nursing. She has since completed training to teach Mental Health First Aid and has a certificate in Occupational Health Law.

40

OH TODAY

Volume 31 Issue 2

ioh.org.uk

OH TODAY

41