Next month (May) will see the launch of OHW+, a new digital platform for Occupational Health & Wellbeing. With curated content, behind-the-news analysis, CPD and regular bespoke webinars, OHW+ will become the go-to destination for your professional development as an OH practitioner.
Occupational health, as we all know, has changed out of all recognition from the days of the works’ nurse. Chances are, too, that the experience of the past year and the more fluid, hybrid yet also possibly more precarious ways of working that appear likely to emerge from the pandemic will change OH still further.
The fact occupational health – both the subject and the profession – are constantly changing is, of course, one of the reasons why a publication such as Occupational Health & Wellbeing exists, and provides value for its readers.
But just as the profession is evolving, so too from next month will Occupational Health & Wellbeing with the launch of a new digital ‘home’ – OHW+.
First, let’s get the difficult bit out of the way. The launch of OHW+ will mean Occupational Health & Wellbeing is no longer going to be published as a print publication; it will no longer arrive as a physical magazine through your door or on your desk every month, with the final print edition arriving next month (May).
The reasons for this are partly commercial – the pandemic has scoured media revenues just as badly as it has many other professions (OH among them) making the cost of printing and physically distributing a print publication in the current climate no longer viable.
Knowledge hub
But it is also partly a reflection of the long-term changes we have seen in recent years in how all of us consume news, media, opinion and CPD, changes that have been amplified during a year when we’ve all probably ended up spending far too long each day sat in front of our screens or scrolling on our phones.
To that end, the launch of OHW+ is, we genuinely believe, not the end of an era but the beginning of something new and exciting: the launch of a flexible, accessible, relevant hub of up-to-date knowledge, insight and professional development for OH professionals, whatever your level of experience within the profession.
Depending on your level of membership, you will be able to improve your professional practice and service delivery through the bespoke CPD library developed by our renowned CPD editor Professor Anne Harriss, currently president of the Society of Occupational Medicine.
You will be able to access a huge digital archive of carefully curated and constantly updated news, research, insight, advice and opinion. You will get access to a monthly newsletter and regular behind-the-news ‘editor’s choice’ analysis – directly into your email inbox.
Regular CPD webinars
On top of all this, premium members will get access to regular high-level CPD webinars, again led by Professor Harriss, which will cast a spotlight on some of the key questions and challenges facing the profession.
The great news as well is that, whether you decide to become an OHW+ premium member, member or simply a registered user, it will be cheaper than the cost of your previous print subscription to Occupational Health & Wellbeing.
So, what happens now? If you’re a print subscriber – and thank you for your support over the years – you will over the next few weeks be contacted to ensure your transition to OHW+ is seamless. So, watch this space!
Look out next month, too, for a more detailed guide to the new platform, its benefits and the different membership options that will be available.
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Ultimately, we believe that, with your help, OHW+ has the potential to become a go-to resource and vibrant hub for OH practitioners, whether nurse, adviser, consultant, physician or student.
We hope you’ll join us for what we believe will be an exciting future.
