CPD activities: supporting the health needs of university staff

These CPD activities, collated by Professor Anne Harriss, are designed to complement the CPD article, Supporting the health needs of university staff. 

Activity 1

Employers have a statutory duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Assume that you are giving advice to a manager, and think of how you would explain their duties under this legislation. What guidance would you give them to enable them to undertake a risk assessment relating the effect of the work of academic staff on their mental health?

Activity 2

The survey referred to in the CPD article found that universities did provide sources of support for staff, but that these were often seen as unhelpful. What strategies can occupational health professionals develop to match services with need?

Looking at the new ISO 45003 standards on mental health and wellbeing and the recently developed NICE guidance, consider how psychosocial safety climate and the HSE management standards may be utilised to monitor, inform and underpin intervention approaches for organisations.

Activity 3

The report of Dougall, Weick and Vasilevic (2021) Inside UK Universities: Staff mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus pandemic, highlights the extent to which UK university staff are dealing with high levels of poor mental health and wellbeing. Read the report then consider the range of strategies that universities can take to improve the health and wellbeing of their staff. What may be barriers to the success of these strategies?

Activity 4

Review the following resources and think about how they are relevant to how and where you work.

HSE management standards tools and guides

ISO 45003 guidance 

NICE guidance on mental wellbeing at work

Professor Maureen Dollard talking about psychosocial safety climate

The Kinman, Teoh and Harriss report on the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Nurses and Midwives

Activity 5

Watch the following TED Talks

Workplace Mental Health – all you need to know (for now) – Tom Oxley. This talk is directly applicable to the article you have just read.

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There’s no shame in taking care of your mental health – Sangu Delle. Although this talk was recorded pre-Covid it includes concepts which are transferable.

Mental health for all by involving all – Vikram Patel. This talk offers a generic approach to the treatment of mental health by using community approaches.