Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Mental health conditionsCoronavirusOH service deliveryHealth and safetyMusculoskeletal disorders

Coronavirus: NHS ‘urgently’ working to ramp up occupational health provision

by Nic Paton 30 Apr 2020
by Nic Paton 30 Apr 2020

The NHS is “urgently” working to put in place extra occupational health provision for NHS workers during the coronavirus crisis, a health minister has said.

In a letter to Dr Will Ponsonby, president of the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM), health minister Jo Churchill said the pandemic had meant publication of the NHS People Plan, which was due to outline measures to speed up access to OH for NHS staff, will now be delayed until the autumn.

However, she added: “Although publication of the final NHS People Plan has been delayed, the health and wellbeing of our NHS staff cannot wait. That is why we have commissioned the NHS to urgently put in place a package of support for NHS staff during this time. This package will involve accelerating development of some elements of the People Plan, such as occupational health provision.”

To that end, NHS England and NHS Improvement were now working to appoint a number of SEQOHS-accredited occupational health providers with the capacity to provide services for a national contract, Churchill said. NHS trusts will be able to buy in existing OH support from these providers on an ad-hoc basis.

The extra services will include access to a supply of temporary occupational health staff and fast-track health clearance for returning NHS workers and volunteers, she added.

On top of this, there will be access to OH physicians, OH adviser management referrals, a Covid-19 helpline, and a range of wellbeing services, including counselling, coaching and musculoskeletal and physiotherapy support.

Churchill wrote: “We are working around the clock to give the NHS and social care sector the equipment and support they need. The full weight of the government is behind this effort, we are working closely with industry, the NHS, social care providers and the army to ensure the right equipment continues to be delivered to the right setting.”

Access to adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect the health and safety of NHS workers has been a major issue during the crisis, and a key political pressure point for the government, even with the publication of a PPE plan earlier this month.

The mental health and wellbeing of under-pressure NHS workers has also been in the spotlight, with a recent survey by the think-tank The Institute for Public Policy Research concluding that half of health professionals battling the coronavirus had felt their mental health had deteriorated, with younger staff especially likely to be feeling “overwhelmed”.

Separately, SOM is conducting a survey to try to better understand the impact of Covid-19 on occupational health, and OH practitioners are being encouraged to take part. The survey can be found here and will be repeated after the lockdown has ended to assess how things may have changed, SOM has said.

Nic Paton
Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consulting editor of OHW+. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for OHW+ and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

previous post
My journey back into the NHS during Covid-19
next post
Academic calls for independent inquiry into coronavirus safety failings

1 comment

Avatar
rebecca rees 1 May 2020 - 1:07 pm

I am an NHS employed registered nurse and health visitor ; I am also a STAT registered teacher of the Alexander Technique; there is a big role the Alexander Technique could be playing in the management of musculo-skeletal problems for all NHS staff ; bringing it into mainstream care of NHS staff could save the NHS a firtune; why is it not being used ?

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Robotics can transform health and safety as well...

2 Jun 2023

First oral treatment for migraine symptoms gets NHS...

2 Jun 2023

TUC calls for Covid inquiry to probe pandemic...

2 Jun 2023

CPD: OH and HR working together to support...

1 Jun 2023

National School of Occupational Health reveals five-year strategy

31 May 2023

Four action areas for supporting employees with terminal...

31 May 2023

Study links long Covid risk to social deprivation

26 May 2023

New occupational health technician qualification launched

26 May 2023

Warnings of dentistry crisis amid rising costs and...

26 May 2023

Third of outdoor workers never use sun protection

26 May 2023

  • The HR Bundle: Your one-stop guide to building a successful global HR Department PROMOTED | Get your hands on Deel’s free HR bundle...Read more
  • The Benefits of an Employee Assistance Programme PROMOTED | EAPs support employees in a range of ways...Read more
  • Intergenerational working and how to manage up and down the generations PROMOTED | The benefits and challenges of intergenerational workplaces...Read more
  • Bereavement in the workplace: How training can help HR get it right PROMOTED | HR professionals play an essential role...Read more
  • UK workforce mental wellbeing needs PROMOTED | The mental wellbeing support employers are providing misses the mark...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today