Research
First ‘game-changing’ new treatment for asthma attacks in 50 years
The first new treatment for asthma attacks in 50 years has been developed by researchers, in a move that is being hailed as ‘game-changing’ for patients. An injection given during…
Better reporting needed as scale of workplace harm revealed
Charity calls for clear reporting protocols after report finds only 51% of global workers experiencing workplace harm reported the incident.
Ditching two-child benefit gap would narrow health inequalities – research
Reducing child poverty in England, including scrapping the two-child benefit cap, would significantly boost child health and narrow general regional health inequalities, finds research.
Clinical governance
CPD: Occupational health in police and fire and rescue services
What does an occupational health service in police and fire and rescue services look like and what should it include?
CPD activities: Developing an NHS OH service
Our CPD article considers the challenges of developing an occupational health service for NHS staff, some of which are also relevant to in-house OH services at other organisations. These CPD…
‘An honour and privilege’ – what becoming a Queen’s Nurse means for OH
Leading OH nurse and academic Neil Loach will this autumn receive a singular accolade – becoming a Queen’s Nurse (QN), one of fewer than 50 OHNs to be celebrated in…
Continuing professional development
CPD activities: Learning from the experiences of working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic
These CPD activities, developed by Professor Anne Harriss, are designed to accompany this article by Charlotte E Hall on exploring the experiences of, and lessons from, working from home during…
CPD: Exploring the experiences of working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic
The sudden shift to working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic was a profound and destablising experience for many. PhD student Charlotte E Hall analyses some of the health and…
CPD activities: Invest to save – making the business case for spending on OH
These CPD activities, developed by Professor Anne Harriss, accompany Elaine Kerr’s article ‘Invest to save – making the business case for spending on OH’. They should help occupational health professionals…
Disability
Long Covid costing UK plc billions in lost productivity – study
The number of working days lost to long Covid could be costing the UK economy billions of pounds every year as patients struggle to cope with symptoms and return to…
Four in 10 with disabilities or health conditions missing out due to access issues
Four out of 10 workers with disabilities, chronic long-term health conditions or who are neurodivergent have missed out on events at or outside of their workplace because of accessibility reasons,…
Call for mandatory OH, as half who fall ill leave work within a year
A think-tank has urged the government to make access to occupational health mandatory for large employers as part of its review of health-related inactivity. The government’s ‘Get Britain Working’ white…
Health surveillance
Changing social habits mean OH must rethink occupational noise risk
OH professionals need to recognise that changing social habits – especially people listening to content through headphones at work or while commuting – are “dramatically” changing how occupational noise risk…
AI diabetes breakthrough, as NHS rolls out eye screening programme
An artificial intelligence (AI) tool that analyses ECG readings during routine heart scans could identify people at risk of type 2 diabetes as much as 10 years before they begin…
NHS Health Checks ‘not working’ and need reform, says NAO
The government’s spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO) has called for a review of NHS Health Checks, as the current system of checks for over-40s ‘isn’t working effectively’. Over…
Musculoskeletal disorders
NHS to test return-to-work ‘accelerators’ as part of tackling ill-health worklessness
The NHS is to test the effectiveness of various health interventions in getting people back into work or keeping them in work. The £45m trial by NHS England will see…
CPD activities: Learning from the experiences of working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic
These CPD activities, developed by Professor Anne Harriss, are designed to accompany this article by Charlotte E Hall on exploring the experiences of, and lessons from, working from home during…
Accidental deaths in UK at all-time high, warns RoSPA
Accidental deaths in the UK have reached an all-time high and are now the second biggest killer of people aged under 40, research has suggested. However, the good news is…
OH employment law
CPD: Occupational health in police and fire and rescue services
What does an occupational health service in police and fire and rescue services look like and what should it include?
CPD activities: Occupational health in police and fire and rescue services
Understand more about what an OH service in the emergency services, including police and fire and rescue, should include.
Justice department to pay out £27,000 after disability ruling
Employment judge Bedeau found Hulya Findik’s claims of discrimination because of a failure in the duty to make reasonable adjustments to be well-founded.
OH service delivery
Get Britain Working: SOM calls for local OH involvement
Occupational health professionals need to be included in local work and health strategies to support people living with ill health return to and stay in work, the Society of Occupational…
Get Britain Working white paper branded ‘very disappointing’ for overlooking OH
Occupational health professionals have slammed this week’s Get Britain Working white paper as “very disappointing”, not least for completely overlooking the potential contribution the profession could make to the government’s…
CPD activities: Invest to save – making the business case for spending on OH
These CPD activities, developed by Professor Anne Harriss, accompany Elaine Kerr’s article ‘Invest to save – making the business case for spending on OH’. They should help occupational health professionals…
Return to work and rehabilitation
Half admit to self-diagnosing health online – poll
Nearly half of Britons admit to having self-diagnosed their health, including using online resources, at least once in the past year, a study has argued. The poll of 4,000 people…
Eugene Farrell: Reflecting on three decades of change within wellbeing
After nearly three decades at the forefront of wellbeing, Eugene Farrell stepped, immediate past chair of the EAP Association UK, back from the treadmill earlier this autumn. Here he reflects…
Bowel cancer cases surging in younger people, especially in England – study
Bowel cancer diagnoses are increasingly being seen in younger people, with some of the steepest global increases happening in England, research has warned. Early-onset bowel cancer is becoming something of…
Sickness and absence management
Half admit to self-diagnosing health online – poll
Nearly half of Britons admit to having self-diagnosed their health, including using online resources, at least once in the past year, a study has argued. The poll of 4,000 people…
Eugene Farrell: Reflecting on three decades of change within wellbeing
After nearly three decades at the forefront of wellbeing, Eugene Farrell stepped, immediate past chair of the EAP Association UK, back from the treadmill earlier this autumn. Here he reflects…
Bowel cancer cases surging in younger people, especially in England – study
Bowel cancer diagnoses are increasingly being seen in younger people, with some of the steepest global increases happening in England, research has warned. Early-onset bowel cancer is becoming something of…
Wellbeing and health promotion
Half admit to self-diagnosing health online – poll
Nearly half of Britons admit to having self-diagnosed their health, including using online resources, at least once in the past year, a study has argued. The poll of 4,000 people…
Eugene Farrell: Reflecting on three decades of change within wellbeing
After nearly three decades at the forefront of wellbeing, Eugene Farrell stepped, immediate past chair of the EAP Association UK, back from the treadmill earlier this autumn. Here he reflects…
Bowel cancer cases surging in younger people, especially in England – study
Bowel cancer diagnoses are increasingly being seen in younger people, with some of the steepest global increases happening in England, research has warned. Early-onset bowel cancer is becoming something of…